《Idle Money System》 Chapter 1 The Beginning In a room inside lay a cozy bed and in that place a young man was in a sleep, but slowly his brows began to tremble slowly, he slowly opened his eyelids and a bluish pupil just like that of a jewel can be seen.He had a well developed face, with tall bridge nose, short hair, sharp eyes, and a perfect jawline. He slowly woke up and sat up in his cozy bed, as he stretched his arms up a soft yawn escaped from his mouth. The young man name is Alexander Ashbourne a graduated student from high school a few months ago is their graduation and he''s finally going to be a college students soon, he slowly got up from bed and went into the bathroom inside his room. Other than his bed there is a kitchen and a personal bathroom in his apartment, he paid 3,000 Pesos monthly to live here. Which is a great amount for him as a student being all alone by his self.Seeing this he remembered his grandfather and a great anger could be seen from his eyes, but he slowly took a small sigh and continued. He cleaned his self and dry his self up and wore a white t-shirt and a black short. When all is done he fixed his hair and went outside his apartment, opening the door a room number 120 is where he reside, besides him the door was also opened and a girl with pink hair with a cute and chiseled face appeared on his sight. He slightly greet the girl with a smile and the girl with pink hair replied with a smile as well. Her dimples and cute round eyes were very attractive to see. Alexander then closed the door and bid his farewell. The pink haired girl looked towards Alexander back as he slowly walked down the stairs. "What should I do for the moment? I''ve better find a new job to earn some extra money for the meantime" Alexander though as he slowly walked down the stair with his hands on his pocket. He needed to save money for college if he ever wanted to finish his studies. He had tried a lot of work like being a waiter, cashier, janitor, librarian, and even a construction worker just to provide for his self. After walking down the stairs he got out of the apartment and walk besides the lane. There are a lot of cars and civilian walking around this place. Walking for sometime he saw a restaurant and there was a sign in the glass read. [Wanted Waiter] Alexander stop in his tracks and stood still at the spot outside the restaurant, it has a big clean window inside there are some big goods furniture and tables, there are even lots of customers eating at the place. "Should I apply" The first thing Alexander though as he saw the sign if he could apply to work at this place. While he was just standing there for a moment his gaze not leaving not leaving the sign, the door then was opened and a woman with a white long sleeve and a skirt wearing a glasses came to his view. Her appearance is someone like that who works in an office, her gaze lingered towards Alexander as she scan him from high to low. Hearing the sound of the door being opened, he shifted his vision and saw the woman eyes scanning him like an X-ray machine. "Good morning young man, are you looking for a job?" The woman said as she lowered her glasses. "Me?" Alexander replied suddenly, stunned from the sudden question."Yes who else would I be talking to" The woman said with a laugh continuing his words, "Would you like to apply at Layla''s Restaurant, I''m the owner of this place and I have seen you standing there for some time now, your gaze was not even leaving the sign one bit" The woman said with a smile, she looks mature and a beauty as well. She had those perfect curves, big marshmallows, and those long and sexy legs her hair was draped blood red making him have a unresistible charm. Nonetheless Alexander wasn''t thinking of something lewd and just looked at the woman with his clear eyes, he was a little embarrassed. "I can''t believe she actually seen me like an idiot outside his restaurant, looking at the sign for some time now." He said as he diverted his eyes, looking back again he confronted the woman gaze and replied. "Is there a slot for this restaurant Ma''am, I would very much like to apply but I did not bring any document for my application" Alexander said as he scratched his head with a silly smile. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The woman hearing this just smiled professionally and replied, "There''s no need for that I''m just going to interview you, and I just only want to see your ID. It''s not like it''s a big company that needs a lot of requirements" she said while finishing with a smile. Alexander could not help but be heart stricken by this matured woman in front of him. Hearing no reply the woman then proceeds saying. "So do you want to apply?" Still in his world and hearing the matured woman voice again, Alexander hurriedly replied "Yes ma''am I would really love to" "Good come inside and follow me" The woman said as she took a turn and went inside the restaurant, Alexander then followed suit. He saw a lot of customers some wearing an office suit drinking coffee and some are just having their morning breakfast. Arriving at the door the matured woman opened the door and went inside while Alexander went inside as well. There is a big table, and some documents were on it and some pencil and ball ben were place in a cup, the woman then sat at the seat behind the table while alexander seated just in front of the woman." Alright then let me introduce myself, I''m Ms. Valentine Lancaster the owner of this restaurant and can you please introduce yourself" The woman said as she cupped her hands in the table. Alexander then focused and turned serious by answering the question. "Good morning ma''am, I am Alexander " he answered honestly as Valentine continued asking him some questions, about his experience, his reason why he wanted this job. Hearing Alexander answer the woman just nodded her head with a smile clearly satisfied, after the roundabout question and answer goes in a cycle the interview finally ended then Valentine said." You can now start on Monday; your work shift will start 7:00am to 5:00pm. If you have any questions, you can just come to me and ask directly." Valentine said her smile never fades. "Ok boss I''ll just come to you if there''s any problems" Alexander said. "Please just call me Ms. or Ma''am Valentine, that word does not fit for my image" Valentine said. "Ok ma''am" Alexander replied. With the interview come to an end and looking at the calendar the year is in 2024 in the month of May, day 10, it''s Friday and he will start to work in Monday. He then went into a food stall where the food is not overly expensive and order a lunch to fill his hunger. Today is his birthday and when he looked at his phone an old model of Samsung Version 11, there are lots of cracks on his screen and navigated his fingers towards the Message app. He saw that there is no message from his family and his anger rises even more. Shaking his head he decided to finish his food and not bother about them anymore. When he got home, he took a shower and dry his self-up he slumped towards the bed and took his phone, he opened his Bank Account and checked the amount of money left in his balance [1,203 Pesos] he sighted thinking how poor he really is. His salary from working to the restaurant in a day is around 1,000 pesos, in a week he could earn around 7,000 pesos which is pretty good than the other restaurant, he could even pay the enrollment and buy some clothes for his upcoming college. As he put his put his phone back in the table just beside his bed and looked at the ceiling and think about his plans, suddenly something came that is straight out from a Sci-Fi movie. [Hello host {Idle Money System} had finally integrated after 18 years of accumulating energy, you can now make money, buy skills or even trade with otherwolders.] "Whatttt!" Alexander said as he sat up from his sleeping posture. Chapter 2 Im Rich Sitting at his bed the screen in front of him never leaved his field of view, he tried touching but it just like an air where his arms just went through it."What the heck is this" Alexander said as he keep brushing his hands of to the panel, its like an hologram. Then suddenly a words appeared on the panel. [Host, please keep your hands away in the system panel] Reading the words Alexander quickly took his hands back and the text began to changed again. [This is the {Idle Money System} it generates money by time passess, you can earn lots of money and buy some skills in the system or even trade with otherworlders. Your current stats are] [Status Name:Alexander Title: None Level: 1 Strength: 9 Speed: 8 Defense: 8 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 4 pesos Balance: 1,203 Pesos Skills: None] Seeing his very own stats with his face attached at the left side he already adapted his self to this system of his, he could see that the earnings that was just 1 began to grow 1 per 10 seconds making it 4 pesos. "System can you tell me why the earnings is increasing per 10 seconds?" Alexander said filled with questions. He''s not worried about his strength nor his skills or even his charismas. It''s not like he could make any money by having a good face right? So he decided to ask first on what is earning because it looks like money. [The earnings is the amount of money that is generated as time pass, you can upgrade it to increase the amount of money it generated per seconds, or you can increase the speed of the time to generate the money per seconds.] "How much to upgrade to increase the value of earnings?" Alexander inquired. [To upgrade just click the {+} button, so you could gain exp to unlock some other functions of the system] [Generated MoneyEarnings Generator{+}: 1 pesos, per 10 sec Total Earnings : 14 Earnings (level: 1) upgrade the value of earnings to {2 pesos} will cost around 500 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 1) Upgrade the speed of earning to {9.8 per/sec} will cost around 100 pesos. Tap Money{+} 1 pesos per tap Total Earning : 0 Tap Earning(level: 1) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {2 pesos} will cost around 1,000 pesos. Tap Multiplier(level: 1) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 taps will cost around 10,000 pesos Locked: Unlocked by reaching level 10 Locked: Unlocked by reaching level 20 Locked: Unlocked by reaching level 50] As he saw the details of how much money he could make, Alexander felt that this was so slow even for him, he did not upgrade directly but decided what to upgrade with his money wisely. Even if his system can generate money, he must still be responsible for what he was doing. "System where should I just tap from the Tap Money?" Alexander inquired not knowing where to tap. [You could just open the Tap Money app in your phone and tap anywhere, Host does not need to worry because only you can see the app so you don''t need to hide while tapping like an idiot] The system said in his last statement which makes it more convenient but calling me an idiot makes it a little harsh. He then opened the app and began to tap, and a 1 number appeared in his previous tapped. He continued tapping like an idiot until his finger began to numb. "This is actually so tiring" he said as his fingers trembled, he earned for about 121 pesos from tapping. "System if I want to withdraw the total earning will it just be deposited into my account?" Alexander inquired. [Yes Host it will directly be send into your account] "But will the bank executives or the police going to investigate on where I got this money?" Alexander though clearly bothered about this. The system who can read his thoughts answered. [The Host does not need to bother about something like this, it will send to your account legally without any illegal activities related] Seeing the system explanation, he could not help but sigh in relief, "System can you explain to me what the system shop is and what is the trade you meant?" [Sure, the shop is where you could buy some skills, pills, recipes, products and more. As you buy more from the system it will increase your privilege level, reaching the second level of the system shop where items become more rare and expensive as you increased your level.] [For the Trade, it''s a trade for every otherworlders where you could trade any skills, things, or objects in your possession for something you would like to have] "Otherworlders? what do you mean, are there any other living people other than us living in earth?" Alexander asked thinking that they are alone in this world, but it''s not actually true. [Yes Host, there are lots of life other than this universe I even detected that there is life just 1 Billion light years away from yours. Otherwolders doesn''t just means beyond your universe but also the other realms.] Alexander was greatly shocked from this discovery there''s actually life just a billion of light years away from his position, he could not doubt the system because its existence is already more mysterious than the life of the other beings. Alexander then was about time to continue tapping when the system panel showed up again. [After the integration a Novice Gift pack will be given to the host do you want to claim?] {Yes} or {No} Seeing this he did not even think for a second and quickly clicked the Yes button, cause who''s the idiot who wants to click No from this gift. [You have claimed the Novice Gift Pack, do you want to Open it?] {Open} or {Closed} Alexander did not think twice as well and quickly clicked the {Open} button. The gift in the holographic screen began to shake and shine and finally three random items appeared. [You have received a ''Toothbrush''] [You have received ''20% coupon in the system shop''] [You have received ''10,000 pesos''] Then the items went into his inventory while the money he had won went into his balance in his status, suddenly his phone made a notification sound. Opening it he saw a message that he received 10,000 pesos in his account. "I''m going to become rich from this" Alexander said with a smile. "System I would like to upgrade the Tap Money Multiplier to level 2" Alexander said making his choice. [Tap multiplier (level:1) Upgrade cost: 10,000(Upgrade) or (Closed)] Upgrading gives him 10 Exp points and by tapping, it generated some random 1 to 2 exp points. Clicking the upgrade button the Tap Multiplier finally reached level 2, he then began to tap and every time he taps in the screen. [+1 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+1 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+2 Exp] It was accompanied by an extra tap making him earned a total of 2 pesos per one tap. Reaching 1,000 pesos from tapping and his earnings from Earnings Generator he can upgrade the value of tap money per seconds. Upgrading it he finally reached level 2 in Tap Money. [+10 Exp] [Tap Money{+} 2 pesos per tap total earning : 0 Tap Earning(level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap multiplier(level: 2) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 tap will cost around 50,000 pesos. Alexander then continued on his grinding to upgrade the Earnings Generator so he can sleep and wake up with a good amount of money, he clicked until his fingers become numb and just focused on upgrading the earning generator making the {Earning, level: 5) while the Speed Earnings is still level 1. [+10 Exp] sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] He reached Level 2 from his upgrading alone receiving 2 free points to be placed on his stats. Current status [Status Experience: 0/200 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 15 pesos Balance: 0 Pesos Skills: None] [Money Generator Earnings Generator{+}: 5 pesos per 10 sec Total Earnings: 15 Earnings (level: 5) upgrade the value of earnings to {6 pesos} will cost around 6,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 1) Upgrade the speed of earning to {9.8 per/sec} will cost around 100 pesos. Tap Money{+} 2 pesos per tap Total Earning : 0 Tap Earning(level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap Multiplier(level: 2) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 tap will cost around 50,000 pesos] He then finally closed his eyes thinking something, until he fell sleep, dreaming that this is his favorite or the best gift he ever had.] [Author here this is my new book ''Idle Money System'', this is a fantasy novel where the MC wants to have a good life of course it can only be achieved by being rich] Chapter 3 [No Title] Waking up in his bed and seeing that the system was gone he was sad suddenly thinking that it was just a dream, but when he called it, the system appeared making him sigh in relief."System how much did I earn today?" Alexander inquired, the first thing he wants to know is how much he earned rather than doing something more productive. [The total earnings you have made this past 7 hours is 12,600 pesos] The system calculated the total amount of generated money this past 7 hours, with this he does not need to worry about his enrolment or even his everyday life. He then took a shower hurriedly then dry his self-up this time he wore a black t-shirt and a short in black plain. After finishing up he took his phone and opened the Tap Money he quickly tapped in the screen nonstop until he has reached 20,000 pesos in his balance that also earned him a bunch of exp points. With this amount he could finally replace his old phone and buy a new one. He can still remember that his phone Samsung was already 5 years old clearly an antique, he then got out of the place and this time the girl besides his room also got out at the same time. Alexander just smiled to greet while the cute pink haired girl smiled in reply as well, this time she wore a white dress, with a white hat on top of his head she wore a blue slipper as she greets Alexander. Alexander then continued on his way leaving the girl when he''s done with the greetings, going out of the place. He stopped a mini bus and took a ride paying only 12 pesos for the minimum fare for student. There are just a few people in the bus because its Saturday. [Don''t ask the reason ok, that''s based on life experience. Author] It took a while until finally he reached the mall called Robinson its big and there are lots of people coming and going through the place, going inside and walking through the hall many people in the area look at him. Because of his handsomeness his charm is clearly top notch making him stand out, but Alexander did not allow this to bother him but continued on his way. He took an escalator and went to the second floor, he roamed around the place until he saw the shop named Samsung, there are lots of version for this phone like a folding one not knowing how is that possible. Finally, he found his ideal phone, Samsung Galaxy A34. Not really his ideal phone but its Samsung so it''s good. "Good morning, Sir is there anything you would like to buy" The saleslady said with a smile, she was charmed by the young man charm and decided to assist him. "Excuse me miss, I would like to buy this phone can your pack it up for me" Alexander replied with courtesy as well. The saleslady looking at where Alexander is pointing at looked at the phone in display and could not help being happy, if he sells this, she can get a commission. "Sure sir, this phone is one of the best Samsung Galaxy A34, it is one of our best sold phones. At around 15,990 it provides amazing features like quad lens camera is perfect for capturing high quality photos, whether you''re out during the day or taking shots in low light. The phone is powered up by a strong processor that ensures everything runs smoothly from multi-tasking to gaming. If you paid it in whole, you could get a 10% discount, would you like to buy sir?" The saleslady said as she took the phone inside the glass. "Yes, wrap it up for me miss" Alexander nodded his head, hearing a good detail about his phone. The saleslady was so excited as she took a box where the phone inside was sealed and new. She placed the Phone box in the counter as she extends her hand. "Card or Cash, Sir?" The saleslady asked. "Here just swiped my card" As he took his card on his wallet. Taking the card from Alexander hands she even slightly touched his hands in a tease, Alexander could not help but smile wryly from this. "That will be around 15,990 pesos, minus the 10% discount that''s a total of 14,310 pesos sir" The saleslady said as she swiped the card, the payment was done, and she wrapped the phone. Alexander then thanked the Saleslady as he took the wrapped phone leaving the shop, the saleslady escorted him out and spoke. "Come back again sir if you would like another transaction" she said with a smile. "Sure miss" He replied with a smile, as he was far away from the shop, he excitedly unboxes the phone and took out his new phone. Remembering something important he asked the system directly. "System what about the app for Tap Money should I download it?" He spoke. [Don''t worry Host it will be automatically downloaded as long as the phone is yours] Seeing the reply from the system he placed his old phone on the newly unwrapped box. He decided to have a meal first before continuing to grind for money again. He went to a famous fast-food restaurant named Jollibee and have a great meal. There are lot of eyes on him, but he was unbothered about it, finishing the meal he went out and leaved the mall. He went back to his small apartment and continued on his grinding for the day finally night came, and he earned a total of 34,000 from Tapping and 16,000 pesos for Earning generator a total of 50,000 pesos. He was about to fall sleep but the trade button in the system panel was glowing red, clicking he saw the item in display. [Strengthening Pill grade: Low Description: Slightly increased the physique of the user Owners Note: 10,000 silver coins or Trade with Equal Value] The owner of this item was called ''HalimawMagJakol'' his pseudonym, he seems to be trading it for 10,000 silver coins or an item of equivalent value. But because of its lower grade no one bough it. But Alexander clearly does not know anything about this. "What''s a silver coins? Where can I get that?" Alexander said, filled with question marks. [Do you want to convert your money to their world currency] [1 Bronze coins = 100 pesos 1 silver coins = 1,000 pesos 1 gold coins = 100,000 pesos] Alexander was filled with curiosity about the item and when he looked at the big difference in currency rate, even with his total balance he could only buy 50 silver coins making him sad. Suddenly another item was put to be trade and when he look at the item he was surprised. [Everlasting Sword grade: Legendary Description: A great sword. Owner''s note: I''ll only accept 100,000,000 high grade spiritual stones.] Seeing the zero''s he felt like he was crazy for putting that up and the description he provided is only a great sword, the name of the trader is "DrunkOldMan". "Is this old man really drunk though? what is even a spirit stones and he even want millions of it" [Spiritual Stone or Spirit Stones, are the energy of heaven and earth that was absorbed and condensed into a crystal] S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Do you want to convert your money to their world currency] [1 low grade spirit stones = 100,000,000 pesos 1 middle grade spirit stones = 1,000,000,000 pesos 1 high grade spirit stone = 100,000,000,000 pesos] Seeing the amount of zero just for 1 spirit stones he felt like he would go in poverty if he ever decided to buy one of this. Like whom would even spend that much money for that sword? Yes, its grade was Legendary, but this drunk guy is trading it for this amount. [the Grading for the item is: Low Middle High Heaven Epic Legendary Mythic Emperor ???] Beyond the emperor is an item that is already impossible to be graded because its power and capability is not something that can be measured. He was just thinking about who would buy this when it was traded by someone named "SwordAddict". Seeing this he could not help but doubt himself, "I think I''m the only who''s poor in this Trading center, can I also trade with this?" Alexander though as he took a drink besides him "Mountain Dew" is the bottle of drink where he just bought it at the store earlier this morning before he got back. Opening the trading center, he decided to make a trade with this. "I should just make it simple" Alexander though then finally he put it in trade. [Mountain Dew grade:??? Description: A good drink for those who are tired. Owners Note: I''m only trading it for 10 silver coins] In this transaction he just set it to whoever pays the right amount the item will be automatically traded to the person. He decided to set the currency the same as the guy "HalimawMagJakol", Seeing the grade is filled with question marks he inquired to the system. [The reason it''s question mark is because it''s a useless item that its grade is below than the grading system] Receiving the reply, he could not help but furrowed his brows, "Wow that''s a little cruel of you system, for you to call my favorite drink a trash is like hitting me with a knife personally" he said inwardly from the system sharp message, "There all done" Alexander said with a smile he decided to trade his drink for fun it''s not like he will die from trading his drink, right? Not knowing that he will become rich thanks to the product made from his own world. Chapter 4 A Happy Cooperation In another realm inside a room a man that is slightly fat with an eyeglasses sticking to his right eye, was scrolling down in the trading center."Are there anything good to trade here?" He sighted with boredom as he swiped his fingers from the holographic panel. Finally he stumbled upon Alexander item, he was about to continue his swipe but find the product so good. The design of the bottle was different from what he have seen, and some weird letters were written in the bottle. "What''s the name of this Item? Moun-tain Dew, this is my first time hearing something like this" He said as he read the name of the product." A good drink for those who are tired'' what a boast let me see if it''s really good" The fat man said as he clicked the trade, 10 bronze coins is not a big amount to him so why bother about this. [Trade Complete], The system panel appeared showing the success of the transaction. Then the bottle of Mountain Dew was in his system storage, he took it out and held it in his hands, its not cold anymore and was just in the right temperature. He was satisfied from the design of this bottle, and it was even made with plastic not glass. Which makes him more impressed he can''t read the writings due to the difference in language, but he understands that the green and black word with big font-size is the name Mountain Dew. "It''s not about the outside let''s taste the inside" The fat man said as he opened the bottle, drinking the green liquid. With his lewd face and those words, if people would have heard him, he will be called a pervert for life. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tasting it, he felt like he was really out of this world. The taste was even better than the wine he had ever taste in his life. He quickly gulped every last bit of the drink and when it was finished he just noticed that he finished it all, there even still some liquids on his lips which he wiped it with his tongue. "That''s it, why did you only sell 1 bottle of this?" The fat man said angrily, he could not forget how tasty the drink is he felt like his tiredness really went away from drinking that drink. "This drink could make lot of money if mass produced" The fat man with eyes shining accompanied by a gleeful smile. He looked for the seller of this bottle drink, then he saw that his name is ''AlexanderTheGrate'' he messaged Alexander account saying. "Good Morning dear sir, I would like to propose a deal to buy some of those bottle drinks. If you ever want to make a deal just reply to my message right away" The fat man texted. After a few minutes and seeing no reply, he was anxious but waited thinking that the guy behind this item is busy. Unknown to him Alexander was having his good night sleep. Finally the morning came and Alexander woke up, he washed up, brushed his teeth and wear his old t-shirt that is already fade in color. Seeing how old and ugly his clothes is he decided to buy some new ones. "Now that money is not a problem I should go to the mall and buy some clothes, let me see how much I have made today" Alex said as he called the system, and the panel appeared. [The total earnings you have made this past 12 hours is 21,600 pesos] [Because of the Successful trade for your item you''ve received 10 silver coins converting it to this world currency you''ve made 10,000 pesos] [Total Earnings: 31,600 pesos, your current balance is now 81,600 pesos] [Status Experience: 0/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 81,600 Pesos Skills: None] Seeing the amount of money he had, it feels like he was really having a dream with this amount he could even stopped school and be lazy. Suddenly another prompt of the system appeared. [Now that the Host is not confused anymore the first mission was initiated] [Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Time Limit: 1 Week] Seeing the difficulty is set to easy he knew that he could become a millionaire in just 2-3 days by just tapping, so he could understand that this mission is not really that hard. But remembering something important on where he got that 10 silver coins, he went to his trading history and saw that someone actually bough it. "Someone actually bought my drink?" Alexander said with a stunned face. Seeing that there was an unread message he was even more surprised when he read the message of this guy, he wants to have deal with him which made his mouth in awe. "Don''t tell me Mountain Dew is not available in that world? Even though it''s not like those drink that can offer super strength, but the taste is clearly good. Even here in my country it was a famous drink. "I should reply to his message" Alexander though as he messages the guy nicknamed, ''FatMerchant69''. Sending the message that he just composed the fat guy in another realm in a reclined chair swaying up and down waiting for Alexander message without any sleep and seeing that there was an unread message he hurriedly read it. [AlexanderTheGrate: Sure, what deal do you propose?] Reading this he hurriedly replied to alexander message. [FatMerchant69: Well, it''s like this I''ve drink your bottle of drinks and planned to propose a deal with you, what about I''ll buy 1 bottle of those drinks for 20 Silver coins. If it can be mass produced I would buy sets of those, do you agree sir?] Reading his long text and his plans to buy more of those bottle drink, he could not help but smile smugly. This is money so he did not accept it yet and raised the price higher, he could see that this guy really wanted this drink. [AlexanderTheGrate: The price is a little low because the ingredients to make this is hard to come by and I''m not confident if I can mass produce this what about 1 bottle for 100 silver coins?] Alexander messaged the guy again, reading his message the fat guy decided to bargain to lower the price. [FatMerchant69: Sir the price is a little much what about 30 silver coins] Reading this Alexander decided to bargain again replying. [AlexanderTheGrate: 80] [FatMerchant69: 40] [AlexanderTheGrate: 60] [FatMerchant69: 45] [AlexanderTheGrate: Okay 50 is my last offer take it or not take it?] Alexander decided to set the price in 50 silver coins, if the guy does not accept then he could just lower the price, right? It''s about making the item rare to make it more expensive and in demand. The fat guy could see that there are no room for any bargain and accepted the price with a smile. [FatMerchant69: Alright deal, how much could you produce of this drink in 1 week] Seeing that the user named ''FatMerchant69'' was tricked and decided to compromise his smile grow wider. [AlexanderTheGrate: I could produce 12 bottles per day, with a total of 84 bottle per week. Don''t worry as the production rate improved the production for our drinks will improved. 1 set will be 12 bottles and will cost around 600 silver coins] [FatMerchant69: I see, then I would like to preorder 7 set of this drink. I will pay you right now to show my generosity] The fat merchant smiled as he took the glasses in his right eye and cleaned the lens, Alexander showing how generous this FatMerchant69 he could not help but be happy from his scheme. [AlexanderTheGrate: Sure, just send me the money and I will send your order of 7 sets of Mountain Dew tomorrow, because there are still some remaining bottles left in our stock. That will be around 4,200 coins] [FatMerchant69: Sure, here''s my payment I welcome our good operation] The fat guys said with wicked smile on his face, Alexander on the other side could not help but cursed happily. "That guy did not even think twice and just buy my bottle of drink for 50 silver coins each. Talk about stupidity, hahahhaah." he said while laughing. Unknown to him the fat merchant also cursed him. "That seller is really stupid, He does not even know the value of what he is selling, with this I can earn 3x the profit by selling it for 2-3 gold coins per bottle" The fat merchant laughed his voiced echoed throughout the room. [What do you guys think? who got tricked Alexander, or the Fat Merchant share your thoughts here!] Chapter 5 Meeting A Friend [Re-Edited] After finishing his transaction towards ''FatMerchant69'' he received the payment for his drink.[You have received 4,200 silver coins from ''FatMerchant69''] [Converting 4,200 silver coins to this world currency with a total of: 4,200,000 pesos] [First time transaction will cost around 3,900,000 pesos, You have earned 210,000 pesos] [Status Name: Alexander Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 740 pesos Balance: 291,600 Pesos Skills: None] "Why is it so expensive? Isn''t this like stealing my first million without a trace? The charge is even expensive when I pay for my documents" he said with a frown, wanting an explanation. [I''m Broke] The system replied only in two words, making him speechless and angry. A money-making system, being broke? This is not explanatory at all! Well at the least he earned, 210,000 pesos so its still good. He had a total of 291,600 pesos in his bank account, he even made 740 pesos just for wasting time talking to that guy. Now that it''s done, he should go to the market and bought some Mountain Dew and also buy some new clothes too. Going out in his room he did not meet the girl again and went to the shop by riding a public ride. Arriving at the mall he went to the grocery and there are lots of products like foods, shampoos, biscuits, and lots of things. Strolling around he found the Mountain Dew wrapped in a box, every box there are over 2 sets in every wrapped box 1 sets equals to 12 bottles. He took one of the boxes which is a little heavy with only his one arm carrying, he did not see the abnormality because with the 1 point increased in his stats increased his strength by 1 whole. Arriving at the counter he asked the cashier. "Miss how much is 1 box of Mountain Dew?" Hearing the inquiries of a young man the teenage girl wearing a mask that only her eyes can be seen, shifting her gaze towards Alexander. She stood still stunned from how handsome this guy in poor clothing is. She quickly adjusted his self and could not help but be embarrassed. "Yes sir, one box of Mountain Dew cost around 400 pesos" The girl answered professionally her eyes were like gone from the smile, thinking that this girl must have a blood of a Chinese. "I''ll take 7 boxes and also do you offer delivery for this?" Alexander asked. "Yes we offer delivery but it will cost you 200 pesos but if its far the price will increased" The girl in a masked said. "I see, then I would like to order 7 boxes to be delivered in this address. I can pay right now" Alexander said while giving a note towards cashier. She took the note and remembered that this place is not really far. "Sure sir, that will be around 2,800 pesos for the seven boxes of Mountain Dew and 200 pesos for the delivery a total of 3,000 pesos." She said after calculating the total amount. Alexander then took out his card and the girl then swiped the money from the scanner paying the bill. [Current Balance: 288,600 Pesos] He then leaved the girl and left his number to the cashier to call him if the delivery has arrived. He then left the first floor and went into escalator to go all the way through the 3rd floor, he bough 3 t-shirt from Adidas and 3 shorts as well that cost around 599 each. With a total of 3,594 pesos was minus on his account. [Current Balance: 285,006 Pesos] When he was about to go to the escalator exit the mall someone tapped him in his shoulder, when he looked back its a friend that he had not seen after his graduation. A man in wearing a black t shirt with a skull face design attached to it, his wearing a short while wearing a shoe. He had black hair that was trimmed like a buzzcut his face was friendly as he looked at Alexander even though he looked like a thug, but he is not. "Alexander It''s been a long time, your actually here in the City? What school are you going to enroll" The guy asked. "Oh, Cedrick it''s actually you what a coincidence. I''m actually here to buy some clothes and was about to go home" Alexander replied with a smile. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His best-friend Cedrick is one of his few friends that treats him like a real family, when he was bullied in high school due to his low background and handsome appearance. Cedrick is always there to rescue him, even when he was sent to the principal office for beating a guy until it turns black and blue. "Do you want to have drink there and catch up my treat" Alexander said, as he pointed at a small shop for beverages, it''s a Milktea if you know what it is. Seeing the place he pointed at, Cedrick does not know whether to agree or not, he know his friend financial situation than everyone else. He even saved money just to pay for school fees, even though he had no more food to eat. He even tried selling his favorite food outside just to earn some extra cash, the food his friend made using the Binangkal Recipe, made it more delicious. Reading his though Alexander just smiled and said, "Don''t worry I have money" Hearing Alexander words, he was feeling a little skeptical if his friend really had the ability to pay. Or even he could pay is their money going to be left for him to spend? "Are you sure? I have money so you don''t need to pay my drink" Cedrick said. "Yes don''t worry I''ll pay, I have money so you don''t need to worry" Alexander said comfortingly. The both of them went into the store and sat inside a Milktea Store, Alexander then ordered 2 Milktea in large size, he ordered a Chocolate one with addons black pearls, while for his friend Cedrick he ordered a Buko Pandan Flavor with addons black pears. The total amount is 220, while each cost 110 pesos. He paid it with his card and his balance lost 220 pesos, with this small amount of money to be paid he did not even bat an eye at it. Bringing the drinks he placed it towards the table giving it to Cedrick while he sipped his Milktea and sat down at the seat. "Thank you for the drink" Cedrick said while he took the plastic bottle cup and sipped at the straw. "Don''t mention it" Alexander spoked while shaking his hand. "So how long have you been in here?" Alex asked with a sipped on his drink. "Not long I only been here for around 1 week, I''ve finally found a Boarding House but it''s only a bed space it''s not so expensive the monthly payment is 1,500 so It''s good" Cedrick spoked. Alexander nodded his head, the same as him Cedrick is also from a poor family, he had 1 little brother and 1 elder sister that is already in college, their family income is only average to support his elder sister to finish his studies. "What about you Alex? How are you" Cedrick inquired, the two of them had not meet after graduation. The two of them began to catch up with somethings. Until finally Cedrick remembered something. "Oh yeah, it''s Zya birthday next Monday they are going to celebrate it in the hotel, I think they have rented the whole floor do you want to come?" Cedrick asked, as he looked at Alexander face. Hearing this Alexander was contemplating, he remembered how much he liked Zya not only she is beautiful but also smart and rich. While the both of them had a great relationship, he did not want to ruin their friendship if he''s going to confessed. Cedrick knew this looking at Alexander with his head lowered, hell even Zya knew of his feelings but waiting for him to confess. But he did not say anything or tried to force Alexander to go to the party, but with their friendship he should really come. "Sure, I''ll go" Alexander said with a nod. "Alright then we''ll see each other next Monday you''ve better get a gift wrapped up, or if you need money, I can let you borrow mine" Cedrick said. Alexander just shook his head declining, "Don''t worry I have money now. I think I should say this to you, if you ever need extra bucks just come to me" he said with a teased. They took a while to have a conversation and finally they separated, Alexander then went back to his apartment and the delivery guy arrived he gave the guy a tip of 1,000 pesos to show his gratitude. The delivery guy thinks that his gay and wanted to Bombayahh, with him by giving money. But he''s wrong and left dejectedly but he still thanked Alexander, from his GE-NO-RO-SI-TY. Alexander then opened the box which had a total of 14 sets, he then sends the 7 sets of Mountain Dew to ''FatMerchant69'' and the 7 sets of Mountain Dew was illuminated by some white light before it dissipated in plain sight. [AlexanderTheGrate: There, I''ll send the next batches of goods next week] [FatMerchant69: Ok] After that Alexander decided to upgrade the Earnings Generator, to earn more money while idling. Opening the system, he navigated his finger to the upgrade button. Chapter 6 First Day at Work [StatusName: Alexander Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 2,595 pesos Balance: 285,006 Pesos Skills: None] [Generated Money Earnings Generator {+}: 5 pesos per 10 seconds Total Earnings: 2,595 Pesos Earnings (level: 5) upgrade the value of earnings to {6 pesos} will cost around 6,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 1) Upgrade the speed of earning to {9.8 per/sec} will cost around 100 pesos. Tap Money {+} 2 pesos per tap Total Earnings: 0 Tap Earning (level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 2) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 taps, for the next upgrade will cost around 50,000 pesos] He already had good sum of money just by walking out. He decided to upgrade it to the max and focus on the Tap Money tomorrow. Navigating to the plus button he clicked it, and two options of upgrade appeared. [Earning] or [Speed Earnings] He decided to upgrade the Speed Earning to generate money much faster. Clicking it he agreed directly for upgrading, only costing for 100 pesos. [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 2] [+10 Exp] [Speed Earnings (level:2) Upgrade cost: 200 (Upgrade) or (Closed)] The price then increased by 100 making it 200 so he upgrades it directly [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 3] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 4] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 5] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 6] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 7] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 8] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 9] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 10] [+10 Exp] Earnings Generator {+}: 5 pesos per 9 seconds Total Earnings: 15 Earnings (level: 5) upgrade the value of earnings to {6 pesos} will cost around 6,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 5) Upgrade the speed of earning to {8.8 per/sec} will cost around 100,000 pesos. "There, it''s actually not very expensive, now that it has reached level 5. The price to upgrade to the next level just surged 100 times." Seeing the change in price made him stunned. "It just cost around 100 just a seconds ago, why did it multiplied over 100 times" Alexander spoked with brows furrowed. [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 85 pesos Balance: 284,006 Pesos Skills: None] With this upgrade finally all is done, the money he could make is about 2,000 pesos per hour. It rises over 200 pesos even though it only increased by a small margin, an increased is an increased. Putting the phone besides the table, he got to sleep because tomorrow is his first day at work. Even though he is rich right now and could make money anytime, he can''t just quit at his first day at work. The kind matured woman offered him work, while increasing his salary that could greatly help him if he does not get this system. Closing his eyes he slumped to his bed sleep, night passed and finally its Monday his first ever worked. When it reached 5:00 am in the morning. Alexander just automatically woke up, totally accustomed to waking up early. He went to the shower, after that he brushed his teeth. Getting out of the bathroom only with the towel covering his lower body. He fixed his hair, then wore some clothes he wore trousers this time a long sleeve and a shoe. That took him about 20 mins in total and he went on his way, in the side lane the road is not filled with many vehicles because it''s so early in the morning. He went to a close small restaurant where it offers rice porridge with egg and some coffee. "Auntie 1 porridge please" Alexander spoked to the woman in his forties, her had some strand of white hair and dark circles on her face. Looking at the person who called her aunt just now, her eyes glistened as she saw Alexander, "Alex its actually you, early aren''t we? Did you apply to a new work?" She asked, as she took a bowl and filled it with porridge with an extra egg. "Here I just gave you 2 eggs make sure to finish it all" The good Aunt said with a smile, as she handed the bowl towards Alexander. Receiving the kind grace of this old aunt Alexander could not help but felt good in his heart, when he just came into this place 1 month ago. This kind Aunt name Cynthia always offered him food for free even though he had no cash to pay. When he had no job and no money to spare to buy some food, this aunt always helped him making it seems like her real mother. Alexander did not take the bowl but put his hand on his pocket, searching for something when he touched a piece of paper. A stack of 1,000 pesos bill appeared, earlier before he came to buy. He cashout some of his money on an ATM machine the moment he left. Alexander then gave the money to the good Aunt. Seeing a stack of cash in Alexander''s hands Cynthia was utterly terrified, she hurriedly held the alexander hands where he held the cash. Squeezing it to a fist while putting it down. "Alexander tell me the truth did you steal this? I know that life is hard but doing bad things to make a living is not good" Cynthia spoke with a trace of anger, though there was also a touch of concern in her voice. Alexander feeling the caring voice in her words could not help but felt warm his heart, then a slight smile bloomed on his face. "Don''t worry auntie I did not steal it but it''s because my business is growing right now, so I''ve made a lot of money. So, I decided to give you some you cannot refuse me auntie just consider is as a payment for all of the free meals" Alexander said, he made it clear so his aunt Cynthia will take the money making him feel at ease. Cynthia was about to refuse, but after hearing his words, she couldn''t help but accept it reluctantly. She knew Alexander''s financial situation, so she responded. "I''ll just keep this money and if you have no money left just come back, and I''ll give you your money back okay" Cynthia spoked, with her hands on Alexander face squeezing his cheeks with her fingers. Alexander had nothing left to say but agreed, as long as his aunt received the money, he will naturally spend it as time passed by. He then took a seat and eat the porridge after that he finally left saying goodbye to Aunt Cynthia. Walking for a while and finally he arrived at the restaurant at exactly 6:30 in the morning, the store entrance door is already open, but the sign is still closed. Going inside the place it had no customer and he saw his boss Valentine sitting at the chair. Seeing Alexander Valentine greets him saying, "You''re actually so early, go to the staff room and wear some waiter clothes, oh yeah before you start, I will first introduce you to the team. Valentine said as she stood up from his seat, Alexander followed behind her. She wore the same clothes just like that of an office lady, wondering what his real occupation is. The both of them went into the kitchen and there are already 3 people in there. There''s a middle-aged guy wearing chef clothes with a spatula on his left hand, the person confronting her is a girl with blond hair, which the face seems to look familiar. Besides the chef is a little girl also wearing a clothe that of a chef. "Look Claire I''ve been teaching you for a week now I think being a cook is really not for you, why don''t you try learning something new" The middle-aged man said with a sight. "But old man Weasley, I''ll try my best to learn can you teach me again. Pleaseee" Claire the blond woman said as she made a cute puppy face. He was supposed to pity Claire but hearing the world old man he was angry all of a sudden, "You brat why do you keep calling me old man? I''m only 44 this year I''m still not in the sixties call me uncle" Weasley the chef spoked with a strict tone. Claire just pouted and seeing the angry appearance of Weasley she decided to tease him more, "Old man Weasly, why are you so angry. Why don''t you calm down first and teach me again gramps" Claire said with a teased. Hearing the word Old man and Gramps some black lines appeared on his forehead, "You kid I''m going to teach you how to respect your elders" As he tried to teach some sense to Claire''s mind, but he was stopped by a hand of a delicate girl behind him. Chapter 7 First Day at Work 2 "Dad, why don''t you calm down? Look how stressed you are¡ªyou''re even starting to get some strand of white hairs! You''re turning into an old man now," the girl behind him said."Sophia, not you too," Weasley replied with a forced smile, hearing his daughter call him an old man. "Alright, that''s enough messing around. I''d like you to meet our new recruit," Valentine''s voice echoed through the kitchen. It was then that they realized they had been watched for a while. Weasley hurriedly adjusted his self but when he saw Alexander eyes and broken smile, he knew that his image was already broken. He could not help but cry but had no tears to spare. Claire who was quick to react and changed the atmosphere, she smiled and hurriedly took Alexander hand said with a greeting. "Hello handsome I''m Claire its nice meeting you" she said while shaking Alexander''s hands up and down. Valentine seeing her behavior made a fist in her hands and with a force *bonk. She hit her head with a punch. "Ouch, sis why did you hit me?" Sophia said with tears on her eyes, a red bump seems to have appeared on his head. "Can''t you see your making the new recruit awkward with your behavior, also apologize to Weasley remember no matter how naughty you are. You must respect those who are older." Valentine reprimanded. Hearing her words she could not help pout but did what she said, facing Weasley she bent her head a little saying, "Sorry, about that uncle." Seeing him apologize and getting hit by the boss, he could not but laugh and forgive Claire since she already apologized. Alexander seeing the interaction between his boss and this girl named Claire. "They were actually blood related, no wonder why I seem to have seen her before." Alexander though in his mind. Claire actually had the same features as Ms. Valentine, but she was a little different because of her personality, and underdeveloped peaches. Then Weasley introduced himself with his daughter besides him, which made him shift his attention. "I''m Weasley Thornton the Chef of this restaurant, besides me is my daughter Sophia Thornton. Go and shake hands with Mr.?" Weasley said with a pause, not knowing what is the name of the new recruit. "Oh, I''m Alexander Ashbourne uncle Weasley, Lady Sophia and Ms. Claire." Alexander said with a smile, his smile is like that of a prince in a shining armor. Sophia and Claire could not help but be charmed by Alexander smile. Even Weasley a man felt his heart throbbed for a moment. [Why are you gay?] "Now that you have fully introduced yourself Claire, I want you to guide Alexander to the locker room and show his uniform. I have work for a moment, so I''ll leave it to you guys" Valentine spoke with momentum. All of them nodded and Valentine left the kitchen, leaving only the four of them. Claire then looks at Alexander and said, "Let''s go Alexander, I''ll show you your uniform for today." While exiting the kitchen, before following suite Alexander bade his farewell to the two then went on his way. They then went to another room just a few meters besides the kitchen, going inside he saw that Claire opened a locker and a white uniform for waiter was in her hands. "Here take it just wear it, I suggest for you to take off your clothes cause the weather is hot today" Claire said as her gaze lingered on Alexander body with a smile. Alexander could not help but be alarmed on how naughty her boss young sister is. He then took the clothes in her palms, after that Claire pointed at the dressing room where he takes off his clothes and wear the uniform. The clothes are in a formal outfit. He is wearing a black vest over a white dress shirt, paired with black trousers. The vest has buttons down the front and features a small emblem on the left side. He is also wearing a black tie and white gloves. As Alexander stepped out in his formal waiter uniform¡ªa black vest over a crisp white dress shirt, black trousers, and a neatly tied black tie¡ªhis striking appearance became even more handsome. The sleek lines of the outfit emphasized his tall, broad-shouldered frame, while the elegant cut of the vest complemented his sharp jawline. His black hair, falling just over his piercing blue eyes, seemed to stand out even more against the clean contrast of his attire, making him look both refined and undeniably charming. Claire mouth was in awe she was really dumbstruck by this sudden increased in charm, she could not help but bit her finger seeing Alexander appearance like that of young master. "You look good in that uniform" she said with her face red accompanied by a thumbs up. "Be prepared we are going to be open in just 10 minutes, I''ll go and changed now" Claire said as she opened another locker and took the uniform towards the dressing room. After 3-5 minutes she finally got out. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was wearing a uniform consists of a black, three-quarter sleeve shirt and a full-length dark apron with vertical stripes. The apron has a front pocket and is tied around the waist with a strap that goes over the neck. When Claire stepped out in her waiter uniform¡ªa black, three-quarter sleeve shirt paired with a full-length dark apron adorned with vertical stripes¡ªher natural beauty became even more captivating. The apron, tied neatly around her waist and draped elegantly over her frame, showing her tall and graceful silhouette. The uniform made her delicate jawline and high cheekbones stand out, while her striking black eyes, framed by long lashes and perfectly arched brows, seemed even more intense. The dark tones of the outfit brought a radiant contrast to her fair skin, making her appear effortlessly charming and stunningly sophisticated. Alexander was breatheless for a moment seeing this, but he gradually recovered seeing Alexander stunned expression, Claire could not help but had a great pride in his beauty. She then went besides her and spoke. "Let''s go I''m going to open the restaurant now" she said with a smile going to the sign hanging closed, flipping it the word Open appeared. [Magic] Alexander knows what to do so he stands at the door of the entrance, waiting for some customers to eat. Finally, a first diner came in and its 3 girls that seems to be around 18-19 their appearance were top notch, this did not affect his focus on his first work and welcomed the three when the entered. "Good morning, ladies do you want to eat? Let me show you your seat" the three who just opened the door were surprised from this great service, seeing the appearance of the waiter in front of them they could not help be in awe. Chapter 8 First Day of Work 3 They tried comparing those idols appearance to this man in front of them, but they find it unbelievable that this guy is much more handsome than a celebrity. Feeling flustered the girl with glasses answered in a flustered tone."Yes, we would like to eat" she said with her eyes darting from side to side. Alexander arched a smile which made the three girls be in absolute entranced, Alexander then proceeds with the order. "What do you want to order, here is the Menu" While giving a menu each to the three. Taking the list they still made some slight glances towards Alexander when all is done, they finally made an order. The girl with glasses spoke first. "I''d like to order Adobo and one rice, please," she said. Her glasses reflected her sharp eyes, giving her a smart, almost genius-like appearance. She usually seemed cold and aloof, but that attitude seemed to disappear in an instant. "For me, I''ll have the Bicol Express and one rice, please," said the girl with black hair and bangs, her almond-shaped eyes tapering gently at the outer corners, giving her a warm and approachable look. "I''d like to order Kaldereta with one rice, please," added the other girl with black hair. Her features were more delicate, with big round eyes, a tall nose, and a graceful face. Alexander was focusing on his mission which is taking the order, not caring whether his serving a beauty or not. It''s not like he''ll get rich by seeing a beautiful woman. After calculating everything he spoke in reply. "For the Adobo it will be 70 pesos per serve, while Bicol Express and Kalderata is about 50 pesos per served. The rice is only 10 pesos, your order is totaled at 200 pesos." He said as he wrote in the small note. The three nodded and Alexander continued, "Before I go do you need drinks or just Service water?" "I would like to drink a coke in a bottle" The girl in the glasses said. "Me too" The girl with almond shape eyes spoked. "Me three" the last girl added. Alexander nodded while taking notes, "That will be about 260 pesos, excuse me while I get your order" he then went on his way taking the note to the counter which is given to an open square trapdoor, a delicate hand then took the note it was none other than Sophia, she then passed it to his father to prepare the order. Claire seeing how Alexander handles the customer she could not but give a thumbs up in her heart, the three who was left alone, the girl with the almond shape eyes took her phone and the image of Alexander smiling was taken. It''s the perfect image because Alexander was greatly taken at the right angle without him noticing it, seeing the image on the phone the two were shocked. "Yumi what did you do! What if you get caught and implicate us, it will be embarrassing" The girl with the glasses said. "Don''t worry, Faith. He won''t know a thing. It''s not a crime to take a picture," Yumi said with a sly smile. Her eyes were slightly obscured, and she had a distinctly Asian look that made her a classic example of a ''Chinita''. "Can you share me the image" The girl with round eyes said in a low voice. "Sure Althea, I''ll send it to you in messenger" Yumi said in reply. Faith could not help but want to find some words to argue but he found nothing, she could only look at the two of them on how shameless they are. "You two are unbelievable" Faith said with a sigh. After a while, the order was ready, and Alexander brought their meals along with their drinks. The three of them ate enthusiastically, but as more customers arrived, Alexander became quite busy. With Claire''s help, the workload eased a bit. While Alexander was busy, Claire was serving a table in the back near the wall. The table had five guys with tough, gangster-like appearances and hair dyed in various colors. "Sir, could you please place your order? I''m in a hurry," Claire said, clearly annoyed. She was frustrated with the five guys who had kept her waiting for quite some time. The 5 thugs just look at her with a lewd face, the one guy who had a red hair with a tall and muscular build. His hair was style in a Buzzcut and was dressed in a leather jacket the same with the others. "Beautiful lady why don''t you sit and chat with us for a while, we will order after we are satisfied" The thug in red hair said with smile, as his eyes darted towards Claire body. Claire seeing this felt disgusted she put on a strong front and said, "You perverts if you don''t want to eat then leave this place, or I''ll throw you out" Hearing her threats, the five of them couldn''t help but laugh, finding it the biggest joke they had ever heard. They laughed so hard that tears even formed in their eyes. "Lady, that''s enough joking. Sit beside me, and we''ll leave this place alone. If you don''t, we''ll wreck it until it''s nothing but scrap," he said with a laugh at the end. His buddies joined in, adding to the mockery. Claire was furious. She glanced back, ready to ignore the five thugs looking for trouble. But before she could walk away, a strong hand grabbed her wrist. Turning to see the guy with red hair smiling slyly, her anger soared to new heights. "If you don''t let go, I will call the police" Claire threatened. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The red hair was amused and said, "Do you think we''ll be afraid of a mere cop? We are from the Black Serpent Gang now tell me do you think we''ll be afraid?" Hearing the gang''s name, Claire recognized them immediately. They were known for using violence and extortion to extract money from innocent civilians, controlling much of Iloilo City''s underworld. She also knew this was just a branch, with their main base located in Manila. Undeterred, Claire tried to pull her wrist free from the guy''s tight grip. His hold was firm, making it difficult for her to break free. "Are you really not going to let go?" She said with her brows furrowed. "No, why what are you going to do about it" the thug said looking at Claire''s face, having fun on making her angry. "So be it then" Claire last voiced trailed off, as her palm came flying off towards the guy in red hair. With a smack the sound reverberated throughout the restaurant, and a red handprint was formed on his face from the impact. The guy in the red hair was stunned, as he touched the place on where he was slap. His buddies were also flabbergasted from the sudden slap, not thinking that this beautiful lady will put on a strong retaliation. Claire seeing him holding his cheeks, smirk in disgust. "Don''t bother me anymore or I''m going to slap till it turns purple." Claire said as she looked back and was about to leave. The guy in red hair who came back to his senses when he heard her insulting words became angry, from getting slapped in the face and also being humiliated from tons of people. He never felt something like this in all his life. "Where do you think you''re going, you bitch?" the guy with red hair sneered, reaching to grab Claire''s hair. Claire glanced back, seeing his hand closing in on her head, and fear began to grip her. Suddenly, before his hand could reach her forehead, her back slammed against a solid wall, and the scent of a strong man filled her nostrils. She noticed that the red-haired thug''s arm was stopped by a smaller arm that held his wrist firmly, halting his advance. A man''s voice resonated behind him, "Hey, you thugs¡ªtrying to hit a woman in broad daylight? Don''t you have any shame?" Alexander''s voice echoed through the restaurant as he glared sharply at the thug. Chapter 9 One Sided Fight 5 v 1 Seeing a pretty face in front of him and he even dared to use the method of saving the beauty, in front of him ignited his anger even more."Hey pretty face, if you don''t want me to ruin your appearance you''ve better focus on your own problems, rather than involving yourself to this woman''s problem" The red hair guy said with a menacing tone. Hearing his threatening words Alexander was not afraid, he was also a troublemaker and involved in a lot of fight. So, to end this he just had to beat the sense out of them, but there are at least five of them making him at a disadvantage. "System put my 2 free points in strength" Alexander said inwardly, finally putting it to good use. [Current Status] [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 0 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 12 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 27,000 pesos Balance: 284,006 Pesos Skills: None] Then a cold feeling spread thought out inside him, making it felt like he was splashed by a basin of cold water. Filled with sudden increased in strength, he knew that this is enough to handle this gang. "What if I don''t? what are you going to do about it" Alexander said with a glint, his face serious. Claire who was in front of him held his clothes located in his abs, she was a little regretful for involving Alexander to this problem. The red hair hearing what he said, he made a fist in his left hand and was about to send it off. But Alexander who was holding his right hand locating at his wrist, held it in a strong grip stopping the guy from doing what he was about to do. He groans in pain as he felt that his wrist was about snapped. "Let go you idiot it''s about to break, let go you stupid shit" he said as his face began to turn red. "If you say so" he then loosened his grip and pushed back his hand, making the man stumbled a few steps and fall through the floor in pain. "Big Brother" the four thugs who are in the same group stood up, and hurriedly went to the red hair guy. Claire and the crowd were taken aback by Alexander''s impressive display of strength. Despite his build not being particularly bulky or muscular, he managed to push back the red-haired thug¡ªwho was three times his size¡ªand make him scream in pain. Alexander then whispered to Claire''s ear saying, "Get behind me I''ll handle it" Hearing a soft voice in her ear her face even her ears, turns red like a TO-MA-TO. She hurriedly followed her instruction and went behind him. Back to the thugs arriving it the red hair guy, they asked. "Boss, are you okay?" The guy in mullet hair asked. The red-haired thug''s anger flared even more. "Do I look freaking okay? If I kicked your ass and asked if you were alright, would you be freaking okay? Hurry up and surround this guy! I''m going to beat his face so badly that his mother won''t even recognize him." The guy who was being reprimanded was embarrassed from asking a stupid question, hearing his commands they hurriedly surrounded Alexander in four corners. While behind him is Claire who was holding the quilt of his cloth. He could feel Claire''s fear as her fingers trembled while holding onto his clothes. "Don''t worry, they''ll only get to you if they can get past me," Alexander said, offering reassurance. His words seemed to have a calming effect on Claire. She wasn''t sure what Alexander had done, but his confidence and presence made her trust him completely. "If you have time to worry about that woman, you should worry about yourself more. You four, beat him up. Whoever inflicts the most damage gets the first chance with that woman behind him," the red-haired thug said with a cruel smile. Hearing this, the four of them felt invigorated as they scanned Claire''s body from top to bottom, wondering what it looked like behind those clothes. Claire hearing the red hair guy''s words, she felt even more disgusted. The four thugs charged at the same time, closing in on Alexander. The guy positioned behind him, where Claire was standing, leered lewdly, as his hands reaching out to touch her. Before he could make it, a hard slap landed on his face. His expression turned comical as his teeth flew out, and he was thrown 6-8 steps away, crashing to the floor. The same fate befell the other three thugs, who were also knocked down and scattered. A strong palm struck their faces, sending them flying and causing them to crash into a chair, which broke upon impact. Some of them even hit the table, and the customers who are the closes was startled, quickly stood up cause one of the bodies landed right on his table. The red hair guy was stunned from what happened it merely took 2 seconds, for him to handle the four of dandies. "The 2 points in strength is actually this strong?" Alexander surprised from his prowess, his like a superman in human form. He then looked at the red hair thug which made him terrified, walking slowly closing the gap between the two of them. "Stop right there! You don''t know who you''re dealing with. My father is the leader of the Black Serpent Gang. I''m James West, and if you lay a hand on me, my father will hunt you down until you''re finished!" he shouted, his voice trembling. "Oh no I''m so scared" he said nonchalantly, not afraid at all with his system why would he be afraid. Hearing his indifferent tone and not putting his gang seriously at all, he was angry on how arrogant this guy in front of him. When the distance is closed, he hurriedly throws a sharp punch that whistled through the air aiming at Alexander face. Alexander blocked his attack gripping it tightly, he slapped the red hair guy''s face. "This is for making trouble, in my first day of work" *Pah the sound of slap came, and one of his teeth flew out. "This is for harassing Claire" *Pah another slap sounded making another teeth flew out. "This is for disturbing the other customer" another slap came again, which made his face turned purple and disfigured from the three slaps. Alexander eyes then turned sharp as he said, "And this is for mentioning my family in front of me" with a kick the in the abdomen. He was struck by a strong force making him fly through the air, some bone breaking sound was even heard. Showing that its ribs were broken or fractured from the impact, he puked a mouthful of blood as landed on the floor. When all is done, Alexander then picks them up one by one and throw them outside the restaurant. The customer and the three girls who were watching, were amazed on how strong Alexander was. Yumi who was holding his phone camera, was happy to be able to record this fight. Even the girl with the glasses Faith had his mouth awed, seeing 1 guy fought 5 people amazed him. "That''s amazing" Faith whispered in a low voice, as she put down her phone that was ringing. Clearly, she called the police, but she did not expect the fight to end this early. Weasley the Chef who heard a lot of commotion from the kitchen, went out to inspect beside him is her daughter Sophia. When the two of them heard what happened they were angry at the thugs, but when they heard that Alexander beat them to a pulp, they were happy. "Attention everyone sorry for the disturbance, you can continue your meal while we deal with this problem" Weasley said as he went to Alexander. "Hey, kid, you okay?" Weasley asked with admiration. "I never thought someone as slim as you could fight like that." Despite Alexander being tall but not overly muscular, Weasley was surprised by the power and skill packed into each of his punches. "Yeah, you''re actually impressive and heroic" Sophia said in a praised, showing her two dimples. Alexander was feeling shy from the praised, when he looked around and saw the damage he had caused wondering if he had to pay it. Seeing his eyelids looking through the mess, Claire was fully back to his senses and spoke. "Don''t worry Alexander, my sister will not make you pay for damages, I will tell her that you saved me which leads to this mess." Claire said. "Also, thank you for standing up to me and getting involved. If you weren''t here, I would have been harassed, by those hooligans." Claire spoked in her heart feeling grateful, she was really scared at that time luckily, she was fine. "Don''t mention it Claire, you''re my boss sister and also my teammate. I would not leave you hanging when you''re in trouble" Alexander full of self-righteous. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He really disliked injustice and whenever he saw some people commits this, he always involved himself even though it can lead to injuries or even death. But as long as he had the power to help, why wouldn''t he? Chapter 10 Invited To a Dinner They went back to work, and Claire took a call from her sister. When her sister heard what happened, she was about to come over, but Claire reassured her that everything was okay. This helped her sister calm down.Once the work was done and the last customer had left, it was 5:00 p.m., and they finally closed up. Weasley then called Alexander from the kitchen. "Here, Alexander, this is 10,000 pesos for your first day. The extra is from your boss, Valentine, for saving Claire from those troublemakers. You''d better accept it, or I won''t be able to explain this to Ms. Valentine if you refuse," Weasley said, handing over the money. Alexander was reluctant to take the money, thinking it was for a trivial matter. But seeing how insistent Weasley was, he reluctantly accepted the extra amount. "Thank you, Uncle Wesley" Alexander spoke gratefully. Seeing Alexander accept the money, Weasley smiled and went to clean the kitchen. When Alexander asked about Sophia, Weasley replied that she had gone home early because she was tutoring someone. Alexander couldn''t help but admire her. Balancing a morning job with evening tutoring was impressive. Alexander then left the kitchen and saw Claire sitting alone at the table. With no customers left, she was the only one there. As soon as she saw Alexander, she hurried over and said shyly. "Alexander, can I invite you to dinner or maybe go out to eat? I really want to repay you for your help." She spoke with a hint of redness in her cheeks, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a more bashful side. She was really grateful towards Alexander and decided to invite her to eat outside to repay him. But when she remembered that she invited a man to eat outside. "Isn''t this a date?" She said, with her cheeks that is red as a tomato. Alexander didn''t see anything wrong with Claire''s offer; it was natural to feel indebted. However, he thought it was a minor issue and was about to decline. "I''m sorry, but it¡ª" He started to say, but then he saw Claire''s face, which looked like she was about to cry. Seeing her distressed expression, Alexander quickly changed his mind. "I''m free, so let''s go," he said, alarmed by her sadness. Claire''s expression brightened instantly upon hearing his reply. "Hehe, let''s go then," she said with a smile, and quickly left the restaurant. Alexander couldn''t help but feel a bit tricked but decided to follow her anyway. They walked through the bustling streets, surrounded by crowds of people. The two stayed close together, walking side by side. Claire couldn''t help but blush, feeling like this outing was more of a date than just a thank-you. When they finally arrived at the large mall and went inside, Claire asked, "So, where do you want to eat?" Her gaze lingered on Alexander. Wanting to wrap things up, Alexander pointed to a place. When Claire saw where he was pointing, her face turned bright red, all the way down to her neck. She simply nodded and followed him to the restaurant. When they arrived at the restaurant, they noticed that every table was occupied by couples. Claire''s face turned bright red, but Alexander paid no attention and went straight to the counter with her. Remembering that this outing was just a gesture of thanks and not a romantic date, Claire managed to calm down. As Alexander placed his order, he said, "I''d like a medium-sized chocolate frappe. What about you, Claire?" He glanced at her as he spoke. Claire was lost in thought and didn''t hear what Alexander said. "Hello, Claire, what do you want to drink?" he asked again. "Ahh, what?" she said, snapping back to reality and looking at Alexander with a questioning gaze. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I said I''ve already ordered my drink. What about you?" Alexander repeated. Claire realized she had been absentminded and quickly responded, "I''d like a strawberry frappe, medium size, and also some fries, please." "Okay, ma''am and sir, that will be 236 pesos," the cashier said. Claire paid for the order, and they took a seat in the center of the restaurant where it was empty. With Claire''s beauty drawing attention, it was clear that they were both under the spotlight. Feeling the stares from others, Claire shrank her head towards the table, worried that people might misunderstand her relationship with Alexander. Meanwhile, Alexander, oblivious to the situation, simply waited at his seat for their order. The place they were at was called "Sweet Sips & Bites," a caf¨¦ typically favored by couples or married women. Alexander had no idea about this, even after noticing the romantic d¨¦cor and heart-shaped designs on some of the cupcakes. He was focused on just getting this over with so he could head home. When their order finally arrived, Alexander took a sip of his drink and noticed that Claire looked unwell, almost as if she had a fever. "Are you okay, Claire? If you''re not feeling well, we can leave," Alexander said, concerned by her pale appearance. Claire, touched by Alexander''s concern, smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I''m fine. Let''s just finish this first." She waved towards their drinks. "So, Alexander, which school are you planning to attend?" she asked. "I''m planning to enroll in Sagebrook College for a Bachelor of Secondary Education. I''ve always wanted to be a teacher because I find it really fun to teach students." Alexander replied. Claire nodded in response and then asked, "What about you? Which school are you going to, and what course will you be taking?" "Actually, I want to pursue a BSBA course because someday I''d like to help ease the burden on my sister with managing the business," Claire said, taking a sip of her drink. Alexander nodded, considering that managing a restaurant must be challenging. They continued chatting about various topics until it was 7 p.m.; they had been talking for about an hour. When they left the caf¨¦, they found themselves outside the mall, and it was already quite dark. "Do you want me to accompany you home? It''s dangerous to be out alone at this hour," Alexander offered, looking at Claire with concern. Claire smiled at his care and shook her head. "Don''t worry, Alexander. I''ve already called my father to pick me up. You can go now if you want." "I see. I''ll just wait until you leave to make sure you''re safe," Alexander said, standing up. Claire couldn''t help but appreciate how protective he was. After a while, Claire''s phone rang¡ªit was her father. She said her goodbyes to Alexander and then left. Alexander watched as her figure grew smaller in the distance before he also departed. He took a ride to a nearby bus stop and left the mall. Meanwhile, at another corner of the mall, Claire got into a parked car. A driver was at the wheel, and a middle-aged man with a distinguished presence was seated inside. Claire greeted her father warmly as she got in. Claire''s father nodded and, with his gaze focused on the road, asked, "Who''s that boy?" Claire was taken aback by the sudden question but responded, "That''s Alexander, a new employee at my sister''s restaurant. I invited him to dinner as a thank you for saving me. Please don''t cause him any trouble, Dad." Her father''s brows furrowed when he heard about the dinner invitation, but his expression became serious when he heard that Alexander had saved Claire. "Who dares to attack our family in broad daylight? Don''t they fear the consequences?" he said, his demeanor shifting to a fierce and intimidating presence. Sensing her father''s anger, Claire quickly tried to calm him down. "Dad, don''t be angry. I''m fine, aren''t I? I''m just worried that Alexander might get hurt because he was involved in this trouble because of me." Her father''s expression softened slightly, but he still looked at Claire with concern. "Who was responsible for this harassment?" he asked. "It was the Black Serpent Gang, Dad," Claire replied. Upon hearing the name, his brows furrowed, and he fell silent, his eyes filled with determination. "Don''t worry, I''ll protect this kid. As for the Black Serpent Gang, I''ll come up with a solution," he said resolutely. With that, the engine roared to life, and they drove away from the mall. Chapter 11 Buying a Technique After taking the bus back to his apartment, it took Alexander about 15 to 20 minutes to travel back to his apartment. Once he was in, he took a quick shower and stood up only wearing a towel."System, show me the money I earned today," he said to himself. A high-tech voice responded. [Sure Host] [After calculating for about 17 hours, 36 minutes, and 12 seconds, the host has accumulated about 35,205 pesos.] [Do you want to claim it and add it to your balance?] Alexander nodded, and the money he had earned was instantly transferred into his bank account. [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 0 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 12 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 319,211 Pesos Skills: None] As Alexander looked at his balance, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated at how slowly it was growing. He tapped the shop button on the interface, knowing that the thugs he''d angered wouldn''t just let him off easily. His experience told him that grudges like that weren''t easily forgotten. The shop opened, revealing a list of options. There seemed to be an entire tier above the regular system shop. He was still stuck at level 1, which made sense, since he hadn''t purchased anything yet. [Shop] {Skills} {Techniques} {Potions} {Weapons & Armors} Seeing the four options, Alexander decided to go with "Skills" because the name sounded cool to him. As he clicked on the button, a list of various skills appeared on the screen. [Skills {Basic Swordsmanship: Increases proficiency with a sword, slightly enhancing accuracy and attack speed. Ideal for beginners looking to improve their combat effectiveness. Price: 10,000,000 Pesos } {Swift Step: A footwork skill that provides a small boost to movement speed, allowing the user to dodge or retreat quickly in battle. Price: 5,000,000 Pesos } {Focus Strike: Heightens concentration, enabling the user to deliver a slightly stronger and more precise attack on their opponent. Price: 5,000,000 Pesos } {Iron Skin: Temporarily hardens the skin, offering minor protection against physical attacks. Effective for short-term defense in combat. Price: 5,000,000 Pesos }] When Alexander saw the prices, he realized they were much higher than he had imagined. He had expected them to be around 100 to 500 thousand, but they were far more expensive. Frowning, he couldn''t help but feel how poor he really was, letting out a sigh of disappointment. He switched the options to "Techniques," though he didn''t hold much hope, assuming the prices wouldn''t be any more affordable. [Techniques {Thunder Clap: A technique that involves clapping the hands together to generate a shockwave, disorienting and pushing back nearby enemies. Useful for crowd control. Price: 10,000,000 Pesos } {Flowing River Strike: A fluid, continuous striking technique that combines multiple sword slash into a seamless attack, overwhelming opponents with a series of rapid strikes. Price: 15,000,000 Pesos } {Shadow Strike: A technique that hides the user presence, allowing the user to strike with quick, unpredictable attacks. Great for catching opponents off guard, recommended for assassins. Price: 10,000,000 Pesos } After scrolling endlessly, Alexander felt hopeless seeing the high prices. But finally, he came across something affordable that he could actually buy. {Serpent''s Coil: A grappling technique that allows the user to ensnare and immobilize an opponent with fluid, serpentine movements. Effective for close-quarters combat. Price: 400,000 Pesos } Seeing the affordable price and realizing he was 800 pesos short of his current balance, Alexander tapped around the app for a while and claimed the amount he needed. With a 20% discount from the novice gift pack, the price changed to 320,000 pesos. He couldn''t help but think about how useful this coupon was. After buying the skill, he gained some knowledge related to it. The concept of Serpent Coiling started to appear in his mind. He saw himself standing in a dimly lit room, surrounded by multiple opponents. With a sudden, fluid motion, he extended his arms, weaving through the air like a serpent. His hands moved in a serpentine pattern, wrapping around an opponent''s torso with swift, precise grips. Each twist and turn of his body was calculated to entangle and immobilize, pulling the opponent into a controlled hold. As he opened his eyes a profound look emerged in his gazed, not just his technique improved but also he felt his self become a little light. Standing up he did a stretching, and he felt that his arms were flexible and even his body was flexible and nimble as a serpent. "System, can you show me my current Status" Alexander said as he want to see the changes in his self. [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 0 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 16 Speed: 14 Defense: 10 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 0 Pesos Skills: None Techniques: {Serpent Coil}] Seeing the huge boost in his stats, he was stunned and amazed. With just one technique, he could actually nourish himself and boost his strength and speed. Clenching his fist, he was eager to test out his new power. Suddenly, he heard a growl and looked down to find his stomach growling with hunger. He had forgotten that he hadn''t eaten anything, but just had a few drinks earlier. So, he put on a black t-shirt and some short and went out, feeling a new, unusual sensation as he wore it. He noticed his chest was noticeably fuller, giving him a broad and powerful look that filled out his shirt, but it wasn''t as bulky as a bodybuilder''s. His waist, on the other hand, was much slimmer, tapering sharply to create a sleek and defined silhouette. It was like he trained his body for years to attained this physique, with his charm and added by his tall silhouette and with his great physique. He became a model but with an aura of a man at that. He then left the place and used the Tap Money app to make some money, earning 3,000 pesos. After stopping, he arrived at the nearest convenience store, where he looked around for a bit, he bought some food and ate at a table inside. In the street, a man with red hair and a bandaged face, using a crutch, walked by with a group of thugs carrying bats behind him. Next to him was another guy, about the same age but a little smaller, and they seemed to have a good relationship. "James, are you sure you don''t want to take the car? We can just meet over there if you prefer," said the blonde-haired guy, who carried the air of a young master. Besides him two people in black clothes followed him. "Of course, I''m fine, Gavin. If I catch that guy, I''m going to torture him and teach that little punk a lesson," James replied, his voice tinged with fury. Gavin, seeing the anger on James''s face, felt sympathy for the young man who had been beaten by the cruel guy. He was just a waiter with no connections and seemed to have gotten himself into a lot of trouble. James then calmed down and looked at Gavin. "Oh, by the way, why did you suddenly come here? Are you here for some business?" he asked as they continued walking. Hearing this, Gavin replied, "Yes, my father sent me here on business. A wealthy foreign investor will be attending a stone gambling event on Saturday. He wants me to close a deal that could significantly earn us a big sum of money" James''s interest was piqued at the mention of stone gambling. They finally arrived at the convenience store. "Hey, go buy some drink with this money," James said, handing a stack of cash to one of the thugs. The thug nodded and went off to get the drinks. Meanwhile, the group of about 18 people settled at a table outside. The place was large but packed with people. James had brought his crew to drink and calm his anger while waiting for information on the person who had beaten him up. Before they could enjoy the moment, the thug who went inside was running and it seems he was in panic and full of fear. All of them stood up while James and Gavin look at him with a bewildered expression. "What is it Rey, spell it why does it look like you''ve seen a demon" James said impatiently. Rey the thug who was still catching up his breathe pointed at the convenience store and said a little flustered, "Boss, the guy who beat us up his inside the convenience store" he said. James was stunned by what he heard. Then a twisted smile spread across his face as he laughed with anger. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This is fate," he said. "Let''s go inside. I''m going to make him pay ten times for what he did to me." He stood up, using his crutch to walk, with his friend Gavin and the thugs following him. Rey, the thug who led the group, guided them through the store. Chapter 12 [No Title] Alexander who was eating a rice with a hotdog, with his favorite drink mountain dew accompanying him. Did not knew that James with his new friends were actually coming to disturb him.He just only noticed this when he heard a shout and it seems to be indicated to him, "Boss his over there" Shouted by Rey. James then sweep at the place and saw Alexander figure who was holding a paper plate looking at him, he grinned and closed the gap between the two of them. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. James grinned widely and shouted, "You think you can escape me, huh? This time, I''m going to beat you into a vegetative state!" Alexander remained calm as he glanced over at James and then at the yellow-haired thug standing beside him. The thug looked vaguely familiar, and it hit Alexander that he was one of the guys he had beaten up earlier that morning. "How do you want to settle this?" Alexander asked with a casual smile, taking a bite of his rice and hotdog. James and his friends, including Gavin, thought that they this must think they are joking. This only fueled James''s anger. He stormed over to Alexander, flipped the table with force, and turned it upside down. Despite his injuries, the table wasn''t heavy, so James managed to upend it easily. Disturbed during his lunch, Alexander narrowed his eyes and looked at James with a cold glare. "Oh, that''s so scary. What are you going to do, hit me? Let me remind you, you''re surrounded by not just four, but over twenty of my men. You''d better sit tight while I slap you around," he said with an arrogant sneer. Despite the threat, Alexander remained unshaken. He arched a smile and replied, "Do you realize what you''ve just done?" He stayed seated at the table, continuing to watch James with a calm demeanor. "Oh, tell me," James said, leaning his ear closer to Alexander''s face without a hint of fear. With his friends behind him, why would he be afraid? Alexander, showing no emotion, continued calmly, "First, you ruined my dinner, which is a serious offense. Second, you''re planning to take revenge on me. Do you really think I''ll let you get away with that? And third¡­" He paused, his eyes piercing through James. When Alexander fell silent, James pulled back his ear, leaned his head in closer, and said arrogantly, "What''s the third?" "The third," Alexander said with a fierce look, "is that you''ve got some nerve getting this close to me." Before James could react, Alexander slapped him hard across the face, sending him spinning through the air. As James crashed into the display rack holding chips and other snacks, everyone including the thugs and Gavin was stunned. Everything happened so quickly that none of them had time to react. When they saw their leader, James, lying in the shattered rack, his bandages torn and teeth knocked out and his in a pitiful state, they were furious. Gripping their bats, they rushed toward Alexander in a rage. "Avenge the young boss!" one of them shouted. "Beat him!" another roared. Alexander, already prepared, quickly took a stance. Despite their bats, he remained calm and composed. As the first thug swung at him, Alexander''s arms moved like a serpent, swiftly catching the bat in mid-swing. With a smooth and fluid motion, he gripped it tightly in his hands. He delivered a punch with his free hand, careful not to use his full strength for fear of killing someone. His fist connected with the thug''s arm, producing a loud crack. The thug screamed in pain, but Alexander quickly silenced him with a kick to the side. Without wasting any time, Alexander charged at the others who were closing in. Moving like a serpent, he dodged another swing and struck a man in the chest with his arm, causing him to cough up blood. Behind him, another thug swung at him, but with fluid motion, Alexander kicked the man in the jaw, sending him flying into the air. His body was so flexible and quick that he could effortlessly dodge attacks and counter them with ease. Undeterred, he rushed at them one by one, and the sound of breaking bones echoed through the air. Wherever he moved, thugs were left lying on the ground with broken arms. Everything happened so quickly that soon they were all sprawled out, groaning in pain. Seeing this, James was stunned as fear crept over him. The man in front of him was the best fighter he had ever seen. Fighting barehanded while being surrounded and still coming out on top of it wasn''t just luck, it was pure skill. Despite the chaos, Alexander seemed unfazed. The store was in ruins the display rack was shattered, and the windows were broken from the thugs Alexander had kicked away. Yet, he remained calm amidst the destruction. Alexander felt that it wasn''t enough. He hadn''t used all of his power; if he had, it wouldn''t be just broken bones but complete disability. He could sever tendons and leave them permanently disabled if he wanted to that is. However, he chose not to go that far. He wasn''t truly cruel beating them up and teaching them a lesson was sufficient. "This technique is really powerful in close combat," Alexander said with admiration. "Now, don''t think I''ve forgotten about you," he added, turning his gaze to James, who was still in the floor with the broken rack filled with fear. James, hearing Alexander''s voice, started to panic. "Don''t come near me, you filthy scum!" he shouted. Hearing the word poor and scum his anger intensifies the word ''poor'' and ''scum'' greatly engraved in his mind, a lot of people called him this word which made him angry hearing this again. He closed the gap between them, ready to take action, when a voice from behind called out and a hand touched his shoulder. Although he could have dodged, he chose to let his opponent approach. "Who are you? Are you with this guy?" Alexander asked, without turning around. "Yes, I''m with him. You''d better step back before my bodyguards take action. Before, you were dealing with mindless thugs with no skills. But this time, it''s different. Two of my bodyguards are retired soldiers they are merciless and with a lot of battle experience. If you don''t back off, we might cripple you right here," Gavin said, brimming with threats. Chapter 13 Getting Arrested He was really surprised by the fighting capability of this guy in front of him, to be able to defeat a thug with weapons and coming out unscathed and it even took him around 3 mins to accomplished that.Gavin realized that this kid must be a martial artist. However, he didn''t panic. He was confident that his two bodyguards, both retired soldiers with extensive battle experience, would handle the situation. Dealing with a student didn''t seem too challenging for them. "So, what''s it going to be" Gavin said with a confident smile. With his back to them, Alexander glanced at James on the floor and said, "I''ll deal with you later." His body moved swiftly, slithering away from the grasp of the man in the black suit. The bodyguard was stunned, unable to process how Alexander had escaped. Before he could react, a hand shot out, gripping his throat. A powerful force then slammed him to the ground with a loud bang, pinning him firmly to the floor. He puked up blood from the impact and his back and head felt like it was broken he stopped moving and pass out, seeing him knock down he look at the remaining one. "Are you not going to avenge your companion?" Alexander muttered under his breath, glancing at the other man in the black suit, whose mouth was agape in shock. The other man knew what his friend was capable of but was astonished that he couldn''t handle this kid''s fists. However, he remained calm, thinking that Alexander must have caught him off guard, causing him to pass out. "You''re arrogant; I''ll give you that. You only won because you caught him off guard. Let''s see if you can handle my fist," the man in the black suit with shades said. He charged forward, closing the distance, and threw a punch. Alexander, barely moving sideways to dodge it, looked at him with disdain. As the man tried to retract his fist, it seemed to be caught by Alexander. He saw Alexander''s hands snake up to his elbow. With a twist, there was a bone-cracking sound once again. The man''s face turned red as he groaned in pain. Alexander then slapped him, sending him staggering sideways and falling, clutching his broken arm. Seeing this, Gavin was filled with fear. If even his bodyguard was no match, how could he possibly win? Alexander simply looked at Gavin with disdain before turning his attention back to James. Seeing Alexander defeat two retired soldiers, James realized that this person couldn''t be dealt with using ordinary methods. He needed to inform his father, knowing that his father would have a strategy for handling someone like Alexander. As Alexander squatted down in front of James, his voice was icy. "If you trouble me again, I will really cripple you." Suddenly, sirens wailed outside, followed by the sound of footsteps. Police officers in uniforms arrived with guns drawn pointing at Alexander. Seeing the police, Alexander returned to his calm demeanor and said in a respectful tone, "Officers, these people tried to beat me up, so I fought back in self-defense. Please provide justice for me." The officers were stunned and at a loss for words. "This is not self defense but a beating" The police said inwardly. What Alexander described as self-defense seemed more like a one-sided beating. The woman in front, with a businesslike air, short black hair, and long, elegant legs, walked gracefully towards Alexander. Alexander was initially relieved that a female officer was there to help him get justice, but his mood quickly shifted when he felt handcuffs snap onto his wrists. He looked at the female officer, his face showing his surprise but changed into a frown. "I think you''ve got the wrong guy, officer. It''s them," Alexander said, pointing at James and Gavin. But the female officer simply looked at him coldly and replied with a snort, "Be quiet. This isn''t self-defense this is direct assault. You are under arrest for assault and disturbing the peace. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Hearing this, Alexander''s favorable impression of the officer vanished. He frowned, clearly upset, but did not resist as he was led to the police car. Meanwhile, the injured thugs were taken to the hospital. Gavin was also sent to the police station while he was placed in the interrogation room. Alexander was seated as the beautiful officer looked at him coldly. "Why did you use assault and violence in this situation?'' she asked, her tone stern and unwavering. "We need to understand your actions to proceed with the investigation." she finished. "Officer, I said that its self-defense if they did not used force in the first place, I will also not used force" Alexander said with eyes narrowed. The policewoman brows furrowed as she slaps the table, "Do you think what you did is self-defense I''m going to apprehend you for 10 days and see if you have the gal to do it again" Hearing this Alexander frowned and the displeasure on his face became livid, "Officer, don''t you think this is a bit unfair, they want beat me up and now I''m getting apprehended. What happens if I don''t know any self-defense, isn''t my life is going to be more miserable than them" The policewoman hearing what he said think that what he said was right, if this kid does not know self-defense his state will be much more miserable. She touched his brows in contemplation, she was only angry right now thinking that this person is the kind who always likes to cause trouble. But when he saw Alexander who was cooperative, she could not help but pity him, "Sorry about that, but the problem is you''ve mess with 2 big families at the same time. The first is the son of the leader of Black Serpent Gang while the other is the young master from the Murphy family." "Even if I tried to not apprehend you do you think they will not take action?" The policewoman answered. Hearing her words Alexander could not help but ponder, his opinion towards the police officer changed as she cared about his wellbeing. Seeing Alexander in a stalemate she could not help but sigh. In a big mansion in the living room Valentine is still wearing his office suit when suddenly she received a call. She took the phone, and her lazy and tired face turned serious all of a sudden. "I got it" Valentine replied. "Who is it sis?" Seeing her serious expression Claire who was in the sofa decided to ask. "Alexander was arrested" she said coldly as she put the phone down. Hearing this Claire was stunned and panic, "Why, what did Alexander do?" she asked worriedly. "The caller said that he beat up the Black Serpent Gang and even the young master of some rich family was also involved" Valentine said with narrowed eyes. Claire who heard this could not help but blamed herself she hurriedly stood up and begged her sister, "Sister please help Alexander he was only implicated because of me please don''t let anything happen to him" "Don''t worry our family never turned our back to those who had helped us, I''ll try calling a friend if he can help" As she took out her phone. On the other side a man picks up the phone and spoke, "Yes what is it, Young Lady?" "Uncle, can you help me a friend of mine was arrested, and it seems he was going to be detained" Valentine said on the phone. "Let me see what I can do, what is his name?" The voice on the other side replied. "His name is Alexander Ashbourne he''s a kid working at my restaurant" Valentine said patiently. "Let me see what I can do" Then the call was cut off, Valentine then left and took a car, it is a Porsche 918 Spyder a limited-edition car. As she was driving her phone begun to ring again, "Young Lady I can''t handle this problem, it concerns 2 big families. I think you should relay this to your father, I''m sorry I can''t help you with this case. But I''ll be by your side when you arrived at the police station" The other side of the phone said. Valentine nodded her head and already expecting this kind of result, his uncle William is only an Assistant Chief and dealing with two rich families is not an easy one. "Thank you Uncle William I''m almost at the Police station, I''ll call father first" Valentine said in reply. As she gazed at the road in distressed, clearly this problem is going to be hard to deal with. So, she took a call and relay this problem to his father. On the other end, his father nodded, signaling that he would use his connections to try and help Alexande S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 14 Whats His Background? Alexander sat calmly in the interrogation room, his hands cuffed, but there was no panic. If he wanted to, he could easily break free using brute force.Yet, he didn''t. He wasn''t even sure if he could dodge bullets, let alone escape the station. Meanwhile, in the main hall of the police station, a blond man spoke to a middle-aged officer in uniform, grinning. "Officer Josh, make sure that Alexander guy suffers for beating up James and humiliating me. If possible, lock him up for a few years," Gavin said with a smirk. Gavin''s attitude were the same as James, he was deeply humiliated by someone with no background. He thought beating them up would intimidate him, but now he planned to teach Alexander that strength is meaningless without connections. Josh, the middle-aged officer, gave a sly grin. "Don''t worry, Young Master Gavin. I''ll make sure this boy suffers for crossing you. I''ll show him just how small he really is for daring to offend the both of you," he said, flashing a wide smile. Seeing a police lieutenant curry favor with him made Gavin smile proudly. This was the power of money and status. Suddenly, the sound of high heels echoed through the main hall. As they turned to look, a stunning woman entered, a beauty with long, sexy legs and a mature, well-defined face that could charm any man. Her ruby-red hair gleamed as she walked gracefully. Beside her stood a middle-aged man in a crisp police uniform, sharp with gold stripes on the shoulders indicating his senior rank. He exuded authority and experience, his demeanor calm but commanding. When Lieutenant Josh saw the middle-aged man enter, he frowned, immediately recognizing him. The two newcomers approached Josh and the blond-haired Gavin. "Is there a young man named Alexander being detained here, Lieutenant Josh?" the middle-aged man asked, his voice filled with authority. Hearing this, Josh respectfully clasped his hands together and replied, "Yes, Assistant Chief William. He''s in the interrogation room for the crime he committed. This is Young Master Gavin from the Murphy Family in Manila. He reported that the kid not only beat up some gang members, but also severely injured his two bodyguards." Josh spoke with confidence, barely acknowledging William''s authority. In his mind, with the backing of Young Master Gavin from the Murphy family and the Black Serpent Gang, a promotion was already within his reach, as long as nothing went wrong of course. He knew he couldn''t compete with William Leywin, a man he despised. Not only did William hold a high position, but many people loved him for his upright personality. But with the support of the Murphy family and the Black Serpent Gang, Josh felt no fear in confronting William. Meanwhile, Gavin''s eyes remained fixated on Valentine, filled with lust as he wondered what it would be like to have such a high-class woman under his control. "Hello I am Gavin Murphy, nice to meet you beautiful lady. Can you give me the honor to know your name" his smile is pure but his eyes of lust lied from his actions. Valentine who saw this felt disgusted, she really want to slap this guy away but did not do so, "Put your hand back you make me sick, I don''t shake hands to young guy who only know how to rely on their families and bully the weak." she said coldly with disgust on her face. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gavin hearing her sarcastic remarks had some black lines on his face, "Why don''t we find out if I''m a young guy lady, do you want me to show you in action" he said with laugh. Hearing this Valentine was even more disgusted from his perverted attitude, she just ignored him like he was some kind of pests. Seeing that he was ignored Gavin was so angry. "Seargent Josh, I heard that Alexander was ganged up by some gangs when he was in the convenience store. Leading for him to use self-defense in the process tell me why he should be detained?" William said with his face serious. "Assistant chief, this problem only occurs because he greatly assaulted the other party, this is not self-defense anymore. So, he must be detained, to be good for all of the people he must be arrested so problem like this will not happen again" Josh said with a smile not respecting the person in front of him. Valentine chest heaved up and down and was about to talk back, but was stopped by William, he looked at Josh in front of him and his eyes turned sharped, "William in case you forgot, talking to your superiors in that manner is a sign of not being respectful to their seniors. Also, I heard that he only used self-defense since the other party attacked first in that situation, tell me what we are going to handle this situation?" he said with ice block cold eyes. Josh was in a lot of pressured and does not know how to reply suddenly a shout caught their attention, "If you''re asking how to handle this situation then this kid should be locked up for 10 years to let him know a valuable lessons." As they looked at the person it was a man with a sharp, tailored suit with dark in color, with crisp lines, a clean, white dress shirt underneath the suit and a subtle but elegant tie, a sleek wristwatch, and well-polished leather shoes. His appearance made William frowned and troubled, "So tell me assistant chief shouldn''t my suggestion good?" The guy smiled as he looked William eye to eye. "I did not know that the Black Serpent Gang, is fast in taking actions. They actually contacted you a top defense attorney Mr. Victor Donovan" William said with a broken a smile. He knew that with this person here the trouble had become more troublesome. Then the beautiful policeman came to them and saw that this must be the two parties, the other is from the gang and he even saw his superiors protecting that kid. But when she saw the beautiful woman besides his superior, she suddenly understands that this lady was the boss of the restaurant according to the information she read. She greeted his two superiors and Gavin who was besides Josh saw another high-quality woman, he could not help but drool. He did not see her figure during at that time, because the fear of getting beaten up clouded his mind. The policewoman seeing this even him, was feeling disgusted. The attorney seeing her asked directly. "Have you done with the interrogation? So did he admit his mistakes?" The attorney said. Hearing his words and seeing what he was wearing she knew that this guy must be a lawyer, "Yes, but he said that it was in self-defense and the 2nd party attacked him first." The policewoman answered defending Alexander. The lawyer raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Of course, he is. Self-defense is always the easy out. We''ll see how that holds up in court." Hearing this all of them were now in a hard position, Josh and Gavin was smiling from ear to ear knowing that they''ve won this round. Suddenly when the silence was prolonged enough, a sound of call reverberated throughout the place. It was from the assistant chief William, picking it up he remembered that this number is from the Chief of Police the highest-ranking officer in the police department, responsible for overall management. He was confused why is his superiors was calling at this moment. Picking he said respectfully, "Good evening Chief is there any problem you want to share" "Did you detain some kid named Alexander?" The voice of the other side inquired, directly. Hearing this William was stunned wondering how their chief knows about something trivial as this, "Yes we have caught a kid named Alexander he is currently being interrogated" He replied respectfully. The other side did not speak for a while until he commanded, "Let him out no matter what". Chapter 15 Whats his Background 2? William was shocked when he heard the order.Letting him out? Isn''t that a bit too much? But since he also wanted to help the young lady, he agreed. With the support of his superiors, he now felt confident. "Roger that, Chief," he said, putting the phone down without hanging up. He looked at Josh and Donovan, a smirk creeping onto his face. Seeing his grin, a sense of dread washed over them, they knew that something good must have happened from that call. "Chief Johnson just called and said that Alexander is innocent and should not be detained. Are you doubting his word too?" he finished with a smirk. Josh and even Donovan the lawyer, frowned in disbelief. They couldn''t believe the Chief of Police had personally gotten involved. Meanwhile, Valentine who was standing nearby, let out a sigh of relief and silently thanked her father. She clearly remembered that she called her father, thinking that his father must have taken action. Donovan''s expression darkened he knew they were at a disadvantage, but he refused to back down. "Even if the Chief of Police says so, the evidence is here. That troublemaker needs to be locked up," he said, trying to sound confident. Seeing Donovan''s unyielding stance, William calmly put the phone to his ear and relayed the situation to the person on the other end. Donovan, however, remained unfazed for he believed that the law was on his side. Hearing this Johnson just replied nonchalantly, "Oh can you give the phone towards that Donovan" he stated. Taking the phone off his ear, he then passed the phone to Donovan, "Here Chief Johnson wants to talk to you". Donovan took the phone and put it in his ear and said his statement, "Chief this problem is hard for you to handle, the evidence is clear and if you want to help Alexander out. You need to hire a lawyer to represent him" He said with a smile, knowing that he can won this. The voice on the other end of the phone was emotionless but firm. "Don''t get yourself involved in this case if you want to continue your career as a lawyer. The person behind him can bend the law just to get him out." Donovan''s brow furrowed upon hearing this. The situation was trickier than he had anticipated. "Who''s behind him?" he asked, a sense of unease creeping in. Johnson replied, "The Prime Minister". Hearing this Donovan faced fell and some sweat began to pour on his face, the prime minister involved his self just to let this kid out, "What is his background?" He though inwardly. After hearing the answer he give the call back to William and looked at the two besides him, his confidence was no more and a hint of fear was visible on his face, "I''m sorry, this case is beyond my power" he said as he leaves the police station. Seeing this situation Josh and Gavin was stunned even the beautiful policewoman was dumbfounded, the guy was clearly in high spirit but now he surrendered without any second thoughts. "Just who is that kid?" she said inwardly. "So now that the trouble is done, I''ll escort Alexander out of the interrogation room" William said, with smile of triumph as he looked at the two. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two faces fell even Gavin was unwilling, but he could not put up a fight, he knew that the kid could get out now. Even a famous attorney give up. No matter how unwilling he was he can only accept defeat as he leaved the police station. The call then was ended and William with beautiful policewoman besides him, went to the interrogation room and saw Alexander sitting with his hand cuffed, "I''m verry sorry for not investigating the situation clearly, you''re free now and you are innocent in this situation" "Carla go ahead and released him" William said, Carla then took action as she took the key and released Alexander from the handcuffed. Alexander look at the police woman and William with gratitude, "Thank you for proving me innocence officer" Hearing this William was filled with smiles as he waved his palm, "No, no don''t need to thank me, follow me out Ms. Valentine is outside waiting for you" as he stood up leaving the interrogation room. Alexander then saw outside it was none other than Valentine in an office suit, when she saw him he smiled and run over to him, "Alex are you hurt anywhere?" she said worriedly. Feeling her care to him Alexander smiled, "Don''t worry Ms. Valentine I''m fine I was not mistreated during my interrogation." Hearing this Valentine sighed in relief as he took Alexander palm, "I''ll take you back home it''s so late at night now, there''s no more ride at this hour. Uncle William I''ll go and take Alexander back thank you for your help, Uncle" she said gratefully. William smiled but shook his head, he knew that he did not provide any help even if he wasn''t here Alexander could still leave. Since he has the backing of the Chief of Police, if he heard that even the Prime Minister was involved during the call he would be shocked. After getting out of the police station they were at the parking area and he saw that Valentine went inside on an expensive sports car, "Is this your car Ms. Valentine?" Alexander said in awe. Seeing his expression Valentine was amused at his expression, "Yes it''s mine hurry and get inside" As he heard her reply Alexander was skeptical isn''t she was just an owner of a restaurant how could she buy an expensive car. But since he was an outsider he had no say to this matter and just keep his mouth shut. Finally he arrived back, just outside of his apartment as he got out to his car Valentine bade his farewell before leaving. The throtle of the car sounded as the figure of the car dissapeared. Alexander then went back into his room and before he can slumped down to his bed he recieved a message, opening he saw that it was Claire. [Claire: Alexander are you okay did the Black Serpent Gang hurt you] [Alexander: Don''t worry I was never hurt, quite the opposite it was them who hurt themeselves] Reading the text Claire laugh and replied, [Claire: I''m sorry for bringing trouble to you I''ll try to repay you again next time.] [Alexander: No need its just a trivial matter] [Claire: No let me treat you, you cant say no to this] Alexander could only agree so they have conversation for a while until it was done, when he was about to put his phone on the table. His phone started ringing and it''s an unknown number, picking up the call he heard the voice of the person that he could never forget. "I heard you were detained for getting into a brawl with some gangsters. Can you stop causing trouble that might hurt you?" the man on the other end of the line said. Alexander''s expression turned icy as he responded coldly, "Isn''t it a bit late for you to start caring about the son you abandoned to fend for himself? Don''t call me again. I have no family anymore no mother, nor a father. I don''t want to see your face ever again." He hung up, his emotions in turmoil, but after a while, he managed to calm down. The anger that is within him for years cannot be forgotten, since he was thrown aside, he will never be part of that family ever again. The other side of the phone who looked exactly Alexander, but he had a noble aura and the only difference is he had brown hair and a bit of maturity. He slowly put his phone down when the call was ended, he sighed as he gazed at the night sky. "Am I really wrong for accepting father''s words? I''ll just let his anger subside for a while and wait for him to return since his 18 now, his training is finally ended" The man said as he closed his eyes. Chapter 16 Unique Skill The next day, Alexander woke up early and decided to go for a jog. He felt like his body was changing, turning him into a different person.He had never been the type who enjoyed training or exercising, but now, he felt an intense urge to do it. Wearing only moisture-wicking shorts, running shoes, and a black sweatshirt, he stepped outside. The sun hadn''t risen yet, but its soft glow gently lit up the surroundings. As he was jogging his mind kept wondering about last night, and the memory deep inside his heart flash back again. Remembering his crying and pleading to not thrown him out, but still he was tossed aside like a stranger. He gritted his teeth, his eyes tinged with a hint of red as he recalled the pathetic moments of begging and pleading with them. He couldn''t help but think about how weak and fragile he had been. But this time, no matter the cost, he vowed never to go back. "Since you''ve thrown me out this time, I will never return. I''ve survived for 12 years with those difficult time without their help. With the help of my system, I''ll make sure to become a Man that is greater than myself years ago" Alexander said with a determined face. [The Host has experienced an intense emotional breakthrough, solidifying a new resolve. In recognition of this transformation, the unique skill "Heart of Stone" has been granted.] The system voice sounded on his ear, "Heart of stone? what is that and it''s a unique skill" Alexander though with his brows narrowed. [Heart of Stone {First Tier}]: System: Due to the Host''s anger and sorrow caused by his childhood memories, and with his new resolve and goal, the unique skill "Heart of Stone" has been granted to accompany you on this journey. Description: The Host''s ability to feel emotions will be significantly reduced, allowing for clear, rational thinking in any situation. While this grants unmatched mental fortitude, it also makes forming deep emotional connections more difficult.] Reading the description, he stopped in his tracks and was shocked, but his expression showed a serious one different from his emotion. He really felt that his anger towards his family seemed to become a normal one for him. "Am I really going to become a Machine with this Unique skill? But It''s still useful with this even if they are in front of me, I will never feel a thing." He said as he continued to jog. He exercised for a while until he arrived at a park. Since it was only 5:00 in the morning, there were just a few people around, clearly all of them were there to exercise. He then stopped at an empty patch of grass. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He started stretching, even doing a split, feeling the stretch in his waist as he reached for his toes." Just across him an old man in white hair, was standing and looking at the two figures. There was a woman with a brown hair, with a good body figure which is also pretty. She had those big peaks, tall bridge nose and sharp eyes, her hair reached over waist but sadly it was tied into a ponytail. She throws her fist in the air creating whistling sound, while changing it into a palm strike. Her move is fluid and precise the old man seeing this could not help but smile. Besides her is a man the same aged as the girl he had brown hair the same as him, with a tall figure and an aura of a refined soldier. He also practiced some kind of technique where sometimes he throws some kicks, which felt like it can cut through rocks and steel. With the power every time he sweeps. The old man seeing this could not help but touched his beard in satisfaction. "Lexera, Jeff, that''s enough for today. I can''t help but feel proud of both of you," the old man said, his voice full of praise, but looking at his grandson made him even more prouder. "You, my granddaughter, in about 5 to 8 years, will finally master our family''s secret technique. Your older brother, on the other hand, mastered it in just a year, maybe even less. Both of you have incredible talent." Hearing this, the two smiled happily at their grandfather''s words, feeling proud and encouraged by their abilities. "We are not letting you down grandfather" The two spoked in unison. The old man nodded with a small smiled and looked at his grandson Jeff, "Jeff are you sure you''re going to attend college? It''s not like in the battlefield where you can do whatever you want" The old man said. Hearin this Jeff replied, "Yes grandpa, I really want to experience the life of just a normal person. I''ve been on the battlefield for 5 years now, and now I''m 19 taking a break for 1 or 2 years is good I supposed." he said with longing to experience a normal life. The old man looking at his face that really wants to experience other than fighting and killing was feeling bad, it was his decision, or you can say, primarily it was his grandson choice. He still remembered when his grandson was a child, always obsessed with fighting. Sending him to the battlefield only made him happier. But now that his grandson had outgrown that thrill and understood how dull it could be, the old man could finally relax, knowing he was far from danger. "That''s good. No matter what choice you make, I support you," the old man said, turning his gaze toward the woman as he continued. "What about you Lexera? Do you still want to become a soldier? I think being a businesswoman suits you, it''s so dangerous out there" he said with a serious expression. Lexera hearing this could not help but roll her eyelids, "Grandpa I want to become a soldier like you, the same as father and brother. You can''t change my mind anymore grandpa this is what I really want." She said expressing her outmost dream. "Aiya, alright then if that''s what you want" The old man sigh thinking that his cute granddaughter would be sent into the battlefield beheading people. Or on the other hand maybe she will be the one to be beheaded making him worried. Seeing his worried expression Jeff on the side smile, knowing that his grandpa really doted in his little sister, "Grandpa don''t worry as long as I''m alive, I will never let Lexera travel alone." he said reassuringly. Hearing this, her expression narrowed she rebutted in anger, "Are you saying that I''m not strong enough and will just become a chopping board during battles? I''m not a little kid anymore" she said as she throws some measly punches towards Jeff. Jeff blocked with his palm smiling wryly, the old man hearing this could not help but feel his worry lessened a bit. "Since you''ve said that I''m relieved for some reason" The old man said with a laugh. Hearing his grandpa''s laugher the girl who''s hitting Jeff looked at his grandpa like a spoiled girl, "Grandpa!" she cried out with a pitiful expression. Jeff and the old man just laugh from her expression, the old man then noticed a figured on his side. It was a young man, the old man gazed, and he can see something special from this young man in front of him. Even though he was just doing some stretching, he felt that the young man in front of him is special. Filled with curiosity the old man left the two who was still quarrelling and went across towards Alexander. They were not really far apart so he arrived quicker than expected, Alexander seeing the arrival of an old man stopped what he was doing and looked at him. He can see that the old man is trying to investigate him, with its perceptive eyes. "Excuse me for the intrusion young man, are you a Martial Artist by any chance?" The old man asked. Hearing the abrupt question Alexander furrowed his brows, "Martial Artist?", he was filled with question not knowing what the old man is referring to. "No, I''m not old man" Alexander replied, devoid of any expression. The old man seeing his expression without any changed or shift of emotion put him on a stalemate, he couldn''t just force the young man to show his true self. But his intuition was never wrong, so when he was about to leave suddenly his grandson came to him. Alexander seeing the arrival of another 2 people was still at the ground in a stretching position. When his gazed came to the young man besides the old man, his expression showed a slight smile. The old man noticed the way Alexander was looking at his grandson''s handsome face and glanced back at Alexander''s smiling expression. With a puzzled look, he muttered, "Am I wrong, or is this kid actually gay?" Alexander then stood up, turned to the young man, and spoke, "Excuse me, friend, would you like to have a battle?" Hearing this the old man and the two were stunned from the sudden challenge, Jeff hearing this challenged frowned. He was an elite soldier, and for an ordinary person to challenge him, without understanding the vast difference in their skills, was someone clearly seeking their own demise. Chapter 17 Challenge Lexera who was fed up with Alexander''s arrogant behavior, shouted, "Before you fight my brother, you''ll have to go through me first!" She pointed at Alexander as she spoke.Alexander was momentarily stunned by her challenge. He could tell that, even if there were fifty of herself, she wouldn''t be a match for him. He glanced back at the guy standing next to the old man. "So, do you want to fight or not?" Alexander asked again. Getting ignored Lexera eyes flared with anger, as she rushed suddenly with an attempt to attack. Her moved was fast and fierce, without any sign of holding back. Alexander seeing this did not panic, when the kick was almost within his face, with just extending his palm he blocked the attack. Seeing this both the old man and Jeff were surprised, they did not expect that he could blocked a full power moved just now. The old man eyes glinted in confirmation, "My guess is never been wrong". The girl Lexera who saw that her attacked was blocked, wanted to take it back but Alexander held it firmly. Angered from this she exerted pressure to his body and spin in midair with his other leg came flying to hit alexander. Before Lexera could even complete her move, Alexander grabbed her foot, pushed it, and threw off her momentum. She tumbled backward from the attack. As she rolled on the ground, her hair became disheveled. When she saw Alexander''s indifferent expression, her rage grew even stronger, this humiliation had to be repaid. But just as she was about to continue, a hand rested on her shoulder, stopping her. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When she looked back, it was her grandpa, his expression serious. "Grandpa, let go of me," she demanded, trying to break free. But her grandpa''s voice stopped her. "Lexera, don''t cause trouble. This kid has some skill. Let your brother avenge you." Hearing this, Lexera quickly calmed down. She realized that, based on what had just happened, she truly wasn''t a match for him. Standing up, she shot Alexander a sulky glare, looking like a spoiled child. "Hmph," she snorted towards Alexander, standing up and tidying herself. Alexander felt wronged. She had attacked first, yet now that she was defeated, it seemed as if it was all his fault. However, he didn''t dwell on it and instead turned his attention to the young man. Before Jeff could confront Alexander, the old man leaned in and whispered to his grandson, "Teach this kid a lesson." Jeff nodded and stepped forward to face Alexander. As they squared off, the lighthearted, sunny expression vanished from Jeff''s face, replaced with a serious and focused look. "You''re going to suffer from hurting my little sister" Jeff said coldly. Alexander''s expression didn''t change, but he let out a slight smile. From another perspective, it looked like the confident grin of someone who had already won, a clear sign of arrogance. This was exactly how Jeff interpreted that smile. "Please" Alexander called as he was just standing. Jeff, taking his stance narrowed his eyes a little. He noticed that the guy in front of him seemed open with no defense at all, but he knew it had to be a trap. Still, he charged in, confident that he was stronger. Jeff who was lunged forward, throwing a swift right hook aimed at Alexander''s jaw. But just as his fist was about to connect, Alexander effortlessly sidestepped, his movements smoothly and precise. Jeff''s punch met thin air, and before he could recover, a sharp jab struck his ribs, sending a shockwave of pain through his torso. Jeff gritted his teeth, ignoring the sting, and quickly shifted his weight, aiming a low kick at Alexander''s legs. This time, it was useless as well as Alexander dodged it. With surprising agility. He was in awe to see that this normal looking guy had the strength and even the moves. Blood pumped in Jeff''s ears as he steadied himself, his muscles tensed. "I''m just getting started," he growled, charging forward again, this time his serious. "Come" Alexander taunted, with his hand signaling him to come. With a straight jab Alexander decided to confront him head on, his arms slithered through his Jab. But he takes it back as quickly he throws it. He knew that this was just a sparring match and there was no need for him to destroy the other party. Jeff seeing him take back his counterattack was enraged. Thinking that Alexander was underestimating him, so he increased the strenght in his fist and when it reaches Alexander chest. A strong hand blocked it. It was Alexander''s palm that caught his attack. "This can''t be possible," Jeff muttered in disbelief. He took a step back and unleashed a flurry of punches. But Alexander who was prepared for it, dodged each strike with ease. He moved like a snake, weaving effortlessly through the air as Jeff''s fists whistled past him. Being played like this Jeff anger rises, he was a genius back in the military. He dominated every young soldier even his seniors through a fight. But this time, he was being played by some unknown guy who was exercising in a park. Making his pride, that accompanied him from young to be ruined. "Ok that''s enough" Alexander voiced sounded. Before he could even react, Alexander slip closed to him while he was swinging, dodging the attacked. With in ranged he releases a palm strike hitting the youth in the chest. Sending him flying a few steps away, the old man who was behind was faster and caught him. When he looked at the palm print, a hint of energy was present from the attack. "A Master?" The old man mumbled as he looked at Alexander in surprised. Seeing his grandson''s pale face, with blood trickling from his mouth, the old man felt a strong urge to avenge him. But he was from an older generation, and even if he tried, he knew he stood no chance against the kid in front of him. Lexera, seeing her injured brother, quickly rushed to his side. "You''re such a bad person for bullying my brother!" she snapped, glaring at Alexander with cold eyes. Alexander smiled wryly, "It was only a match sorry I could not hold back" he explained. That''s true though from the match just now he only uses 30% of his strength. Hearing this excuse Lexera was about to retort again but was stopped by his brother. "Lexera, stop arguing," Jeff said firmly. "A duel is a duel, and I''ve lost. He held back from the very first move and if he hadn''t, I would''ve been defeated right away. He showed me some respect, but it''s still a hard pill to swallow. This is already a disgrace for me, so please don''t say anything more." Jeff''s tone was serious, leaving no room for protest. Seeing his brother expression, she could only nod his head. The old man looked at Alexander and stood up to give a handshake. "What''s your name young man?" The old man Asked. "My name is Alexander" Alexander stated his name. The old man nodded his head in acknowledgement and inquired again, "What''s your master''s name?". Alexander hearing this answered truthfully, "I have no master". Hearing this both the young guy and the old man was stunned, a talented kid with good foundation and skills had no master. How is this possible? Seeing the expression of his that is devoid of any lie, they could only nod in understanding. Jeff wasn''t feeling great about this loss, even with the help of his family''s secret technique and the training he had received at the camp. He had lost to someone who was self-taught. For Alexander, this was a turning point he had finally grasped the essence of the technique''s movements. His goal had been achieved. But the old man introduced his self-making him stay a bit longer. "My name is Franklin Blackwood," the old man introduced. "These two are my grandsons. The girl is Lexera Blackwood, and the one you just fought is Jeff Blackwood." Alexander nodded at Jeff, who returned the gesture. Lexera, however, only responded with a cold snort, making Alexander scratch his head in confusion. "Ok Mr. Franklin I''ll get going now or I''m late for work" Alexander said. But before he could go Franklin stopped him and took a card in his pocket, Alexander seeing this stopped in his tracks. "Here young Alexander take this card, my number is written in that card call me if you have any problem. Please call me Old Franklin or Franklin" Franklin spoked waiting for Alexander to take it. Alexander, who was in a hurry, took the card and put it in his pockets, "Thank you Old Franklin I''m going now or I''m late for work" As he run away from their sight. Lexera seeing his action was so angry, he did not even dare to look at his grandpa''s card making her even more dissatisfied. "I will have my revenge" She mumbled, full of resolution. Chapter 18 World of Magic and Swords In another realm, there''s a place completely different from Alexander''s world. In the vast emptiness of space, a blue and green planet that is three times larger than Earth, can be seen.Massive void worms that is large as an enormous ship, trying to breach the planet''s atmosphere, but a barrier surrounds the planet, making their attempts futile. Even with their thousands of razor-sharp, needle-like teeth trying to bite through the barrier, their efforts were futile, forcing them to flee from boredom with no results from their efforts. The scene then zoomed in on the planet, revealing vast oceans stretching for millions of miles. Some sea creatures, never before seen or documented by science, roamed its waters. The view then shifted to the continent. Towering mountains dominated the landscape, and above them flew a beast the size of a large ship. Its scales were as red as rubies, and its wings, with a single flap, could shroud the sky. A real-life dragon existed in the flesh roaming in the sky. As the view zoomed in further, it revealed an endless expanse of grasslands. Eventually, a massive kingdom appeared, sprawling across at least 20 million miles. Its borders were safeguarded by towering walls, clearly designed to defend against any invasion. There were three massive walls inside the place. One protecting the outer region, another in the middle, and the innermost wall guarding the heart of the kingdom. On each towering wall that is spread out from South, West, East and North. A diamond-shaped crystals were embedded for the blue on the outer wall is the outer wall, white on the middle wall, and red on the inner wall. They resembled turrets from video games in appearance. Inside the kingdom, the landscape was breathtaking, with mountains and rivers giving the impression of a paradise. As the view zoomed in, it revealed many villagers, and even carriages pulled by strange creatures with caterpillar-like legs and oddly shaped bodies. The scene shifted to a large room, where a wooden table with carvings and strange symbols stood. On the table was a stack of documents. The room was spacious, with bookshelves lining the walls, filled with various books. Seated at the table was a person, clearly the manager of this place, as the setting resembled an office. He was dressed in a layered outfit with a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a V-neckline, overlaid with a white vest featuring two vertical rows of square patches or pockets. Around his neck, there is a choker or band adorned with a rectangular ornament. His waist is encircled by an assortment of belts and pouches, with one belt having a large circular buckle in the center. His lower attire consists of baggy pants gathered at the knees, leading into fitted greaves or shin guards. These greaves have straps and buckles for fastening and are paired with heavy boots that have reinforced toes. Additionally, he has armored pieces on each forearm, possibly made of leather or metal, covering from wrist to elbow. His hands are bare, that seems to be a dignified and handsome person, but he was big and fat ruining the entire introduction. The fat person that looks like of a merchant had a magnifying single eyeglass on his right eye. Carefully, reading the entire description of this person its none other than our, Fatmerchant69. He was seated with his hands on the table where his jaw was place on the back of his palm, looking at the door with patience. Suddenly a footstep came all of a sudden and the door was open violently. "This deal must be of great importance, or I will really hit the shit out of you Bruggin" A middle aged man appeared that also wore layering clothes. The middle-aged man that had the looks of a professor wore a suit with an exquisite blend of dark, enchanted fabrics, the main color is a deep charcoal grey, with veins of iridescent silver threads running through the fabric, which catch the light and shimmer faintly, giving an almost otherworldly aura. The suit''s material appears lightweight yet durable, perhaps offering him protection or increasing his agility in subtle ways. The jacket is sleek and tailored to perfection, with a high collar that stands slightly, giving him an imposing presence. The edges of the collar and cuffs are lined with obsidian-black embroidery, etched with intricate potion symbols that signify his power and status within the magical community ''maybe''. The buttons are not ordinary either they are made from polished stone that looks like it was plucked from the moon, which glow faintly with an ethereal light. Each button bears a small, inscribed rune not knowing its function. Underneath the jacket, he wears a black silk vest, embroidered with delicate, swirling designs in dark silver. The vest is fastened by a row of silver chains, giving it a more regal and mystical appearance. The man tie is made of deep blue velvet, fastened with a silver clasp in the shape of a crescent moon. His pants are made of the same charcoal grey, enchanted fabric as his jacket, fitting seamlessly with his tall, lean figure. They taper down to his polished black leather boots, which are adorned with runic inscriptions, offering both style and beauty. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was tall and domineering, the way he looked at Fatmerchant 69, whose real name is Bruggin Thistlebrow. He did not choose the name Fatmerchant69 but it''s up to the system itself, so he can only swallow this problem not knowing how to change the username. Fatmerchant69 or Bruggin is a shrewd but jolly merchant, with a knack for making deals and a deep love for food and drink (hence his interest in selling his beverage). His last name, "Thistlebrow," could imply that despite his outward joviality, he has a sharp and prickly side when it comes to business. He''s a hustler, willing to go to great lengths to make a profit. His owner of the big company Everbarrel Mercantile, which is located in the center district of the Demacian Kingdom. It''s a Five-star Shop where adventurers and nobles trade for some equipment''s and other items, but this shop is renowned when it comes to drink and potions. Across him the middle-aged man Valtor Ashveil is the CEO or the Founder of ElixirCraft Industries. Valtor is a cold, calculating businessman with a deep understanding of both magic and alchemy. He was called through by Bruggin with some magical item because of a great deal which he cannot declined, even though he was located in the other kingdom that is located 100 thousand miles away. He travelled fast using magic crossing mountains and rivers, knowing that this fat guy deal must be really important and profitable. The both of them were friends for a long time and considered comrade in arms. So, if there''s a good thing the both of them will not let the other party leaved a share, which made them seem more like a brother related by blood. Hearing his angry call Bruggin smile totally used to this, "Sit here for a while Valton, I''m going to show you something good". Valton just snorted while saying, "It better be good or my trip this time will be useless". As he sat in the seat across the table looking at Bruggin with curiosity. "Don''t worry you will love this" Bruggin smiled mischievously. Seeing his expression Valton was curios, he was a man who was direct and can''t handle being cliffhanger. "Can you show me the item, you''re making me curios" he said running out of patience. Bruggin smiled and raised his hand, causing the air to distort. A void opened, and from it, he pulled out a bottle made of green plastic, with strange carvings or markings on it, possibly an enchantment made by an enchanter. The Valton who was observing this wasn''t surprised, knowing that since childhood, Bruggin had an affinity for a rare element and that is space. What he didn''t realize, however, was that this ability was actually part of a system, allowing him to store items. Nonetheless, Bruggin did indeed have a natural affinity for space, while the system provided an external storage ability for him to use. Putting it in the table Valton expression remained nonchalant as he looked Bruggin confused, "So you''re giving me a bottle of your piss is this what you mean" he said questioningly. Chapter 19 World of Magic and Swords 2 Bruggin hearing this was stunned from the sudden disgusting words, "If you''re not my brother I will not going to share you, my piss. Just drink the damned thing and you will know" He retorted.Valton was cautious, looking at the bottle and Brugging back and forth, "It''s not poison right?" He asked with brows furrowed. "Valton, are you really that stupid? We''ve drunk together on plenty of occasions. If I wanted to poison you, I would''ve done it a long time ago," Bruggin said. Hearing this, Valton realized Bruggin was right, and his cautious demeanor faded. He picked up the bottle, inspected it, and a look of appreciation appeared on his face. As an Alchemist this is the first time, he had seen a bottle to store a drink made of plastic and not glass. Even with his years of experience, the words engraved on it he could not understand wondering what it says. Valton then opened the bottle cap then he slowly drinks it. As the first sip of the strange green liquid touched Valtor''s tongue, his senses were immediately overwhelmed. It was not cold but sharp, unlike any potion or brew he''d ever tasted. The fizz bubbled wildly in his mouth, crackling against his tongue like tiny bursts of energy. A shockingly sweet, citrusy flavor flooded his taste buds, tangy and bold, leaving a tingling sensation as it slid down his throat. It was both invigorating and alien [''alien'' I use because I find it fitted in this text], then a strange combination of flavors and sensations that made his heart race. For a moment, he paused with his eyes wide, unsure if he had just consumed a magical concoction or some powerful alchemical elixir. The drink felt electrifying, awakening something within him that left him craving more, even as he tried to make sense of the unfamiliar taste. Even though it did not increase his stats but the flavor it could be consider a delicacy, Valton was filled with question as he looked at Bruggin who''s smiling from ear to ear looking at him. "Where did you get this?" Valton asked unknowingly. "I''ve got this from an unknown adventurer, and he seems to have this, but he can only produce this in low margin. Now you''ve known the reason why I called you right" Brugging said looking at Valton intently. Knowing the meaning in his words he replied, "So you want me to produce this kind of drink, by providing me samples?" Valton said with knowing his intention. "Bingo! You nailed it" Bruggin said with thumbs up. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Valton was in a dilemma for a moment, even though an alchemist renowned throughout the kingdom the taste of this, brough him to a new light that even he did not know such drink actually exist. But this is what he liked the most, the more mysterious it is the more he wanted it to discover. Not agreeing for a while he decided to inquire more about it. "Who''s the mysterious guy who sell this to you?" Valton inquired. "As I mentioned, he''s a mysterious one," Bruggin said. "He wears a black cloak that hides his face and body. He only sells this to me, and he resupplies me with around seven sets every week. I buy them for 2 gold each, and I plan to resell them for 3 gold. I''ll give you one set for research, and if you make a breakthrough, we''ll split the profits 50-50. So, do we have a deal?" Bruggin cleverly concealed the true identity of the system and the real price of the drink, even fabricating Alexander as a mysterious merchant. Well Alexander existence truly is mysterious, since his from another realm and only doing some trade. Unable to find any fault in Bruggin''s words and recognizing the potential profits if this product hit the market, Valton decided to agree. "When do you plan to sell this?" Valton asked. "Next week when I''ve received another supply of this. I want to make it grand so more people can buy as the stock run out, they will increase the price from the original one knowing how scarce it is" Bruggin said cunningly. Valton nodded for he knows that noble and even the king will love this if it was put in sell, "Then give me 1 set for this drink and I''ll do my research right away" Without any hesitation, "Sure here" Bruggin said as he took a whole set of Mountain Dew in his system storage. Seeing this Valton could not help but be envious, having an affinity for space is really a cool one. Not only it''s good for travelling but it even has a great ability to escape in crisis, but its best used is when it comes to storing items. As 1 tray of Mountain Dew was placed in the table Valton then hurriedly put it in his storage pouch, which is also made of space element. He was in a haste afraid that someone will take it from him. Seeing his actions Bruggin smiled while thinking about next week plans, he needs to make an advertising and a grand unveiling at that. "I should get going now, I want to study this unknown drink. I''ll call you from the call stone when it was done" Valton said as he stood up leaving the shop. He flew up opening the window in the office, as he was floating there seems to be a wisp of air surrounding him. In this world it''s like very normal to fly or even store items in an empty space. Bruggin did not stop seeing how excited he is to uncover its secret, also it was in his best interest if he ever uncovers it. He then looked at his ceiling wondering what another surprised this ''AlexanderTheGrate'' will bring to him. Talking about Alex he was in a haste running from the sideroad with formal clothes afraid that he may be late from second day. Chapter 20 Completing the Mission Alexander who was on the way to his work arrived not totally late, Claire seeing him greeted a good morning and the both of them then changed clothes.Once dressed Alexander in his uniform, finally they opened the store, and he stand at the entrance of the door again waiting for customers to come. Then finally the first customer arrived, which was assisted by Alexander. As he ordered, Alexander heed his request. As time goes by more and more customers came. The place quickly filled with people, and it became busy as customers came and went. This left little time for Claire and Alexander to interact. While Alexander was serving, a man with heavy makeup caught his attention. Despite having a rugged, manly face, the man gave Alexander a charming look. When he was serving the table, as he put the plate of food. The guy touched his hands coincidentally. His whole body seems to have been electrocuted. "If that''s all I''m going now" Alexander said with a forced smile, as he walked away. The guy looking at Alexander figured disappearing was saddened, his pals who were also gay look at him laughing. "Hahha, you''ve scared the young man, why are you not so patient Miguel" One of the gay with heavy makeup said, the blush on his cheeks was so thick. "Yeah, look at him! You scared him so badly," one of them added with a hint of frustration. "I didn''t even get his name because of you." Hearing this, his previously sad expression shifted into a fierce one, completely different from his earlier, lady like demeanor. "Shut up you two, it''s not my fault his so handsome. Hays, his beauty is the only thing we can admire without touching" The gay named Miguel said, with a disheartened tone. Alexander felt cringed all throughout his body, the three did not know that with Alexander increased in overall stats. Could hear their conversation, even with noise from the other customer. As they were done eating Alexander thanked them for eating, leaving directly afraid that something might have happened. The three gays also left the restaurant, thanking Alexander for the food and service he offered. Alexander proceeded with his work, until finally the end of work was done. It was 5 in the afternoon, both Alexander and Claire did not hang out. Because both are busy Alexander took the allowance from chief Weasley, he also did not see the figure of Sophie knowing that she must be on her way to tutor. Receiving his allowance of 1,000 pesos, Alexander then took a ride home and arrived on his place, he was not tired but wants to finish this mission fast. [Balance: 1,000 Pesos] He knows that something good might have happened if he finishes this mission. [Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Time Limit: 5 Days] Looking at the mission in the system panel where he only had 5 days remaining. He took called his system to show his total accumulation. [After accumulating for about 17 hours, 12 mins, and 11 seconds the total amount that is generated is over 34,405 Pesos] Seeing the result Alexander though that this is so low, the amount of money he can generate is relatively slow, so slow. "I guess It''s tapping time" Alexander said cooly like a power ranger. As Alexander tapped away on his phone non-stop, a series of two-digit numbers appeared on the screen with each click. Occasionally, 1 EXP was added, but the rate of EXP increase remained relatively low. Ten minutes passed and thanks to his increased in strength, Alexander didn''t feel tired. He remained focused, still clicking on the screen full of concentration. 20, 30, 40, 50, and finally 60 minutes. 1 hour had passes and Alexander felt that his fingers trembled slightly and when he looked at the total amount, he acquired from tap money he sighed. [Tap Money: 48,000 Pesos Earnings Generator: 2,000 Pesos] For the Tap Money he has earned about 48,000 pesos while for the Earnings Generator he has made 2,000 pesos in just one hour. "Slow" He mumbled as he cashout the balance. [Current Balance: 51,000 Pesos] He then decided to upgrade the Tap multiplier because it''s much more convenient than the Earnings Generator. By clicking ''Upgrade'', the price changed making the 50,000 Pesos to 100,000 Pesos. The price just doubled but the level rises from 3. So, it''s still good. [Tap Money {+} 2 pesos per tap total earning: 0 Tap Earning (level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 3) for every one tap will be equivalent to 3 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 100,000 pesos]. Nodding in appreciation he decided to continue his grinding, Alexander then decided to upgrade Tap Earning next, to increase the amount of money he can make with this. Tapping in the screen for a while he made 6 pesos per one tap because of the multiplier. After tapping for 10 minutes, he has accumulated 6,000 Pesos. He then upgraded the Tap earning that cost only 5,000 Pesos. As the level rises the same as the next price now it became 10,000 Pesos doubling to its original. Alexander continued his grind, and after 12 minutes of non-stop tapping, he managed to earn 10,000 pesos. Feeling satisfied, he claimed the money and upgraded his skill to ''Tap Earning'' Directly. The next upgrade now required 15,000 pesos. As a bonus for upgrading, he gained some EXP, not only from the upgrade itself but also from the tapping he had been doing along the way. [Congratulation Host for leveling up] [Because of the easiest way in levelling up by just only upgrading in the system function. The exp gained from upgrading in the system Generated Money will not work anymore. While the chances of receiving exp from tapping will also be lowered to 5% chance] Reading this Alexander was stunned and furios, but his face remained stoic as ever and his mind calmed down all of a sudden. "This skill is really full of wonders" he spoked in his mind. Alexander then asked the question, "Are there any other way to gather exp points?" he said filled with questions. [That''s up to the Host to find out] Reading this, luckily Alexander knows that he can''t pull his hopes up from this. Since there''s a lot of time, he will slowly discovered how to gain exp. "System show me my, current status" Alexander commanded. [Status Experience: 0/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 3 Strength: 13 Speed: 10 Defense: 10 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 16,035 pesos Balance: 0 Pesos Skills: {Heart of Stone [UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}] [Author''s Note: UN is short for Unique, I know you get the idea so peace.] Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 21 Completing the Mission 2 Looking at his stats in the system panel, his all of his status points increased by 1 except for Charisma. With this he somehow felt some changes in his body only a little.Alexander then continued on his grinding which is the journey of tapping in the screen, tapping and tapping for a while until 10 minutes passed. [Tap Money: 20,592 pesos] he had gained 20,592 in just 10 minutes talk about a massive breakthrough. [Author''s note: Just for some clarification because the tap varies from him tapping every miliseconds so sometime he tap at 0.3 sec to 0.6 sec. So that''s why the amount sometime he get is high and low depending on his speed and tapping.] With this he directly upgrades the Tap Earning which only cost about 15,000 Pesos. As the level rises by 1, he did not receive any exp because of the system removing that way for gaining exp. Even after 10 minutes of tapping he received only 1 exp, which made him sigh from sadness. [Tap Money {+} 5 pesos per tap total earning: 0 Tap Earning (level: 5) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {6 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 3) for every one tap will be equivalent to 3 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 100,000 pesos.] Seeing the massive increase in the price, Alexander was heartbroken again. He now has to continue his grinding and focus on the multiplier to increase the speed in making money. "Let''s tap for 30 minutes non-stop for now to accumulate enough money" Alexander though a basic plan. As he taps again through the screen non-stop, he was basically like an idiot tapping at the empty screen to other people''s view. But to him, he was tapping at the app home screen generating money. Just like that 30-minute passed and another hour just passed. Now its currently 9 in the evening. [Earnings Generator: Total Earning: 2,000 Pesos Tap Money: Total Earning: 61,776] [Balance: 6,592] Alexander seeing this could only frown, in the Earning Generator this money generator is clearly too slow. But he did not plan to upgrade that but focus solely on tapping, because it''s much faster and more efficient this way. He then collected the money making his balance [70,368], He decided to keep this money and wait for it to reach 100,000 to upgrade the multiplier. Just by that 15-minute passed and he made, exactly 38,610 pesos in that time. totaling he made [108,978 Pesos]. He did not waste any time and directly upgraded the Multiplier. [Tap multiplier (level: 4) for every one tap will be equivalent to 4 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 500,000 pesos.] Just by that the price rises again by 4 times its original making it 500,000 Pesos. Alexander could only hiss, like a snake. But this did not lower his resolved but continue on his grinding just by that time passes, and finally. His finger finally numbed from tapping. "Is this my Limit?" Alexander mumbled, feeling his finger shaking from the tapping. From his normal self 6-10 minutes is his normal capacity to tapped continuously but now it made it reached passed 3 hours. He even still has the power to go if he wanted to but now it''s already 10 in the evening. If you think about it, his strength and endurance really increased. In the 45 minutes from tapping he had made, [154,440 Pesos]. Just like that, the multiplier could greatly change the speed of making money. Alexander decided to stop for now and continue grinding tomorrow, he then collected the money from every generator. For the Earnings Generator he only made [1,250 Pesos] in the past 45 minutes which is really slow. [Balance: 164,668 Pesos] Alexander then upgrades the Earnings that only cost about 6,000 Pesos. He upgrades it and the price rises every 1,000 Pesos reaching it to level 10. [Earnings (level: 10) upgrade the value of earnings to {11 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos.] Current Status [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 3 Strength: 13 Speed: 10 Defense: 10 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 124,668 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}] [Generated Money Earnings Generator{+}: 10 pesos per 9 seconds total earnings : 15 Earnings (level: 10) upgrade the value of earnings to {11 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 5) Upgrade the speed of earning to {8.8 per/sec} will cost around 100,000 pesos. Tap Money {+} 5 pesos per tap total earning: 0 Tap Earning (level: 5) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {6 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 4) for every one tap will be equivalent to 4 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 500,000 pesos. ] Alexander took a quick shower and went to sleep. The next morning, he headed to work as usual. Upon arriving, he greeted Valentine, who was always there early. He also greeted Weasley and her daughter, Sophie, in the kitchen. Later, he and Claire had a brief conversation to pass the time while they waited for the day to start. When it''s finally time to open, Alexander went back to his role in serving the guest, taking their orders, giving them their orders with outmost hospitality. The Black Serpent Gang did not trouble him this time not knowing the reason why, but this though disappeared suddenly. His mind was not fully occupied about those ruffians, since how could they possibly deal with him? Finally, work was done and Weasley gave him his salary which is [1,000 Pesos] which added from his Balance. Alexander then bade his farewell both to Claire and Weasley since Sophie wasn''t their knowing that she was tutoring. Going back home at exactly 5 in the afternoon he quickly called his system. "System show me the total money I''ve made this time" Alexander said inwardly. [ Earnings Generator: 10 pesos per 9 sec Total Earnings: 76,000 pesos] Seeing the good amount of money he had gotten for 19 hours he was satisfied because its above 50 thousand. [Current Balance: 174,668 Pesos] Alexander did not waste any time but to grind this time for about 2 hours, starting right now. In just 10 minutes, Alexander earned [34,320 pesos]. With the same amount coming in every 10 minutes, an hour eventually passed. From Tap Earnings, he accumulated [205,920 pesos], and the Earnings Generator added another [4,000 pesos], bringing the total to [209,920 pesos]. Now his current balance is, [384,558 Pesos] Seeing this the speed of making money was now fast. He could even become a millionaire in just no time completing the mission. He then continued to tap for the screen for another 30 minutes, he made a total of [102,960 Pesos] now he got [487,518 Pesos] which is only short for about 13 thousand or lower than that for the next upgrade. So, grinding for about 4 minutes he made [13,720 pesos], now he had [501,238 Pesos] on his balance. "Finally," Alexander said happily, if he can upgrade the multiplier again. The tapping money he gets will multiply again. Just like that he spends 500 thousand to upgrade the Tap Multiplier lowering his current balance to, [1,238 Pesos]. [Tap multiplier (level: 5) for every one tap will be equivalent to 5 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 10,000,000 pesos.] Seeing the massive increased in the next upgrade his eyes almost escaped from his sockets. "Damned, why did it increase so high. Even its price is the same as those skill in the system shop" Alexander said dumbfoundedly. But the system did not offer any explanation so he can only swallow his anger. So, he continued his tapping adventure. In just 10 minutes he had earned, [42,900 Pesos] But why did it seem like his still far from his goal though? If he continued this, he will exponentially finish the mission. So, he then continued finally other hours passed and he made a total of, [260,100 Pesos] added by his current balance his balance now is, [261,238 Pesos] "So, if I continued tapping for about 4 hours, I will actually complete the mission, because that will earn me a million" Alexander calculated. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then suddenly his stomach growled, clearly it was hunger. "Maybe taking a break for about 30 minutes will be good" Alexander said, looking at the time it was 7:14 in the evening. He dressed up to look more civilized, then exited the door. Coincidentally the girl just beside his room neighbor actually exited at the same time as him, the two eyes were connected and the girl looked at Alexander with a smile blooming at her face. Her beauty was truly beyond words, radiating an aura of pure innocence that could effortlessly capture any man''s heart with just a single glance. There was something captivating about her presence, as if even a brief moment of eye contact would be enough to leave a lasting impression. Chapter 22 Mission Complete Alexander was surprised to see a familiar face again. "What a coincidence," he thought to himself."Good evening, miss," he greeted, still unsure of her name. Since they were neighbors, it seemed natural that they should know each other. The pink-haired girl realized this too after living next door to each other for so long, getting to know one another made sense. "I''m Lily Carter, nice to meet you-" Lily the pink haired girl inquired, with her expression full of question mark "Alexander" Alexander said responding with a shake of hands. After getting to know each other, Alexander pulled his hands back and noticed what she was wearing it is a plain white t-shirt and black jeans. He thought she might be heading out for some things. "Are you going out?" Alexander asked respectfully, he did not really want to butt in from her life and be nosy. But yet he did. But for real he just run out of topic to talk about, since she only meets her for once. "Oh, I''m just going out to buy dinner from a retail store. Are you heading there too?" she asked with a smile, her dimples making her look even cuter and more innocent. Alexander nodded in response. "Yes, I''m just going to go out to have some dinner to fill my stomach. Would you like to go together?" he suggested. Lily the pink haired woman did not rejected Alexander offer, since they were going at the same place and finally get to know each other. Having a little conversation to the place seems good. Since she also felt a favorable impression toward Alexander, she couldn''t help but notice that this was the first time she had met a man who remained calm and composed without changing his expression while talking to her. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She was a very observant person, but when she looked into Alexander''s gaze, it felt as if he had a heart of stone. "Am I not pretty?" She mumbled as the two of them were out of the building. On the road that only cars were making noises, while some passerby chatter. The both of them did not have any talk, Alexander really did not know how to communicate since she was unfamiliar with her. The silence was so loud between the two of them, finally they arrived at the nearby 24-hours retail store. Alexander and Lily went inside the store and look for something to buy. As they arrived in the counter to pay Alexander bought a Cup noodles with a bread and a hot red hotdog inside. He paid for less than a hundred just barely moved his money in his balance. While Lily also bought some Cup noodle also but the one, she buys was like that of a porridge with rice on it. While Alexander was the sushi kind. After paying the food Alexander sat in the table followed by Lily, the two of them were facing each other. If people were to look at this scene, they will think that this two were dating or more precise were in a relationship. Alexander then opens the lid, which was opened slightly, before he seats at the place. He first filled it with hot water he also assisted Lily earlier to fill it with hot water, which she agreed readily. As they sat together, neither of them had spoken since they were at the apartment, aside from a bit of small talk when he helped her fill a cup with hot water earlier. After a moment of awkward silence, he decided to initiate a conversation to get to know her better. "So, Lily, is it okay if I ask whether you attend school? What year are you in?" Alexander asked while sipping his noodles. Hearing his questions, Lily replied with enthusiasm, "Yep, I''m in college right now! I''m currently a second-year student in BFA." From her voice, it was clear that she truly loved her course. Alexander had no idea what BFA stood for, so he sat in silence, trying to process what kind of program it was. Noticing his blank expression, Lily understood what he was thinking. "Actually, BFA stands for Bachelor of Fine Arts. It''s a four-year program that offers specializations in Painting, Sculpture, and Visual Communication," she explained to help him understand. Alexander, caught off guard, felt embarrassed as he noticed his own reaction. Lily smiled at him reassuringly. "Don''t worry about it you''re not the only one who doesn''t know. I''ve been asked so many times, and only a few people really understand it, so it''s completely normal." Hearing this made Alexander feel a little better. He wasn''t particularly smart just an average guy. But he thought that not knowing about the course didn''t reflect on his intelligence actually, it was more about not having done the research, so there was no reason to be disappointed in himself. "What about you Alexander what course are you in?" Lily asked her gaze is questioning. "Oh mine? actually, mine is Bachelor of Secondary Education since I find it fun to teach. I plan to enroll as a first-year next month when the school opens" Alexander said with a smile. Lily parted her lips slightly and said, "Oh," but when she heard that he was a first-year student, her brows furrowed. "Did you just say you''re a first year? when school opens?" she asked. "Yes," Alexander replied without hesitation. Lily mouth was in awe the way she looked at Alexander, seeing this Alexander was stunned seeing her expression. "Is it really that shocking or is there a ghost behind me" Alexander said doubtfully as he gazed at her eyes that is clearly looking at him. "So, there''s no ghost" Alexander said with a blank expression. "Is it really a matter to be shocked with, its not like it''s a famous or well-known course." Alexander spoked. Realizing her sudden changed in expression, she was embarrassed and quickly adjusted herself. "Sorry about that, that was a bit unprofessional of me. I just assumed you were the same as me, a second or even third-year student I did not you''re just actually recent graduate. It''s just that you have the demeanor of a mature person who has experienced a lot," she explained, sharing her honest thoughts. Hearing this, Alexander understood why she had mistaken him for being older. It was due to his skill, "Stone of Heart," and the experiences that had greatly enhanced his demeanor as a man, even though he was only 18. "So, what kind of school do you plan to enroll in" she inquired as her ears perked up a little. "I plan to enroll in Sagebrook College on Monday its just 3 days away." Alexander replied. He found this information on their official page stating that they would open on Monday, so he realized he needed to prepare the necessary requirements. Meanwhile, Lily''s face lit up with excitement. "Really? You''re going to attend Sagebrook? That''s great! I guess that makes me your senior," Lily said proudly. Being called a senior by a young, handsome man felt wonderful to her. "Senior? You''re actually a student at Sagebrook?" Alexander asked, surprised. "Of course! If you need a tour guide, I''ll be there. Just call me Lily," she joked, laughing lightly. She looked like an innocent young maiden. Alexander was in a turmoil right now, her beauty and demeanor as an innocent and quiet girl, was actually different from her real self. "She''s actually pretty talkative and very lively, I really though she''s the quiet type. Looks can really be deceiving" Alexander though about her. They have some conversation about some stuff their laugh and engaging talk were a good sight to see, they then finished their talk and dinner that took exactly 30 minutes. Alexander then took the honor to grab the food they had brought and tossed it into the dumpster to help reduce pollution and prevent the spread of germs. [Be like Alexander¡ªresponsible with your trash, if you don''t want to be a trash in the future.] They took a walk still having a conversation and finally arrived back to the apartment, just outside their door, Alexander bid farewell. "Have a nice sleep senior" Alexander said, his face arched a smile. "Ayy, I said don''t call me senior you''re making me looked old. I''ll go now and rest you to as well Alexander" Lily said with a smile. Alexander nodded then both of them went inside their irrespective place, inside felling rejuvenated and full. He decided to continue his work which is the tapping kind. His total balance is currently [261,238 Pesos] added by his Earning Generator that earned him only [ 2,400 pesos] for about 36 minutes outside. Alexander then started, he knows that it will take him about 4-5 hours to achieve his necessary goal. He did not waster anymore time as he started at 8:01 pm. With his pointed finger, he tapped at the screen with unbelievable speed. Just like that an hour passed he earned [180,360 pesos.] in Tap earnings. "The earnings this were slow, I must increase my speed tapping" Alexander voiced out. With an increased in speed his fingers tap at the speed of lightning, just like that another hour passed yet again. In just 1 hour he earned [299,700 pesos] from tap earning. He was surprised by the increased when he increased his pace. So, he continued with his finger that was numbed already with his movement somewhat slow down a little. Making him earned at least [278,870 pesos] Which is still good totaling this he had around [758,930 pesos] In his Tap Earning balance. "I though it will take me 4-5 hours but it actually took me around 3 hours at most" Alexander said excitedly. As he claimed the money from Tap Earnings and the Earnings Generator, which was [12,000 Pesos], he added it to his current balance of 261,238 Pesos. This brought his total balance to [1,032,168 pesos]. Suddenly, a *ding sounded, indicating that he had finally completed the mission. [Mission: Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Status: Complete] Chapter 23 A luxurious Villa? [Mission: Become a MillionaireDifficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Status: Complete] [Congratulations for completing the mission Host] Then Alexander was covered by some specter blue light, his level increased by 1. [You have leveled up] [You have an inactive 2x earnings for 5 minutes and 1 lucky spin. Do you want to use the items?] Alexander seeing this really wanted to use the 2x earnings directly and make money, but he stopped himself. He will first grind and increased the multiplier to earn more, so he''ll just put it in the system inventory for now. "System I want to use lucky spin" Alexander decided, wanting to know how his luck will be. A spinning wheel appeared before him. It looked holographic, but felt solid, like a 3D object he could actually touch. When he pulled the red lever, the wheel spun wildly, with the red pointer darting around nonstop. "Please be something good" Alexander prayed. As the seconds passed, the spinning wheel gradually slowed down. Each section was marked with a question mark not knowing what''s the price, leaving him unsure of what he might win. Hoping for something good, he silently prayed as the wheel slowed more and more. Finally, it came to a halt on the white question mark. The red pointer stopped precisely at that spot, and Alexander''s anticipation grew, eager to see what he had won. *Ding [Congratulations, Host! You have won ''Evercrest Manor'' located in ''Summit Heights.''] Alexander was stunned. The name of the manor was famous throughout Iloilo, and its estimated value was a staggering 10 billion pesos. He couldn''t believe how lucky he was to win such a prize from the lucky spin. Smiling smugly, he really admired his luck. [Host, you''re not actually that lucky. This is the second-lowest prize on the spinning wheel.] The system spoked making an expression [-_-]. Alexander was stunned, "Lowest? Are you kidding me? This is the best prize! You''re just trying to gaslight me because I hit it big this time," he retorted. [Well, if that''s what you want to believe, then so be it,] The system replied nonchalantly. Alexander blinked in surprise. The system had been so quiet over the past few days, but now it seemed livelier. "Are the other prizes really that good?" he muttered to himself, his mind racing with curiosity. "System, can you tell me what the top prize is?" he asked eagerly. [Sorry, Host, I can''t divulge that information. It''s private and must remain confidential.] The system said nonchalantly, Alexander hearing this made a sigh. He racked his mind and asked again, "Not even just a hint?" The system did not reply and made a sigh, Alexander was filled with question mark. Is it even possible for a system to sigh even though it''s a robot? [Since you insist, I''ll give you a hint. This will be the only time I''ll do this. The first prize is a weapon. If it were put up for auction in your world, its value would be around a trillion, or even more if someone could afford it, that is.] Hearing this, Alexander was left speechless, his face turning pale. The idea of a weapon worth more than a trillion was mind-boggling, he really felt that the prize he won actually pale in comparison to that. "What kind of weapon could it possibly be?" Alexander wondered, his curiosity growing. He was just about to dive deeper into his thoughts when his phone suddenly rang. It vibrated and so he took it and answer the phone call, the number is a new one wondering who called. "Good evening esteemed sir, I''ll just want to ask on what schedule would you like to sign the papers for the ownership of the Villa?" A voice of a woman sounded in the phone speaker. Alexander hearing this, knew that this must be the reward of the system, "That''s fast" he said inwardly. "What about tomorrow? I have no plans for the day," Alexander replied. "Sure, I''ll be at Evercrest Manor in Summit Heights at 12 in the afternoon to give you the necessary documents. Does that work for you?" the lady asked. Alexander nodded. He wanted to inspect the manor himself, so signing the papers there seemed perfect. After the call ended, he slumped onto his bed, filled with satisfaction. [Congratulations for the Host in completing you''re first Mission. The second mission was given] [Mission: Saved the Village Difficulty: Medium Reward: +3 Level, Random Middle grade item, and New system function. Description: You will be transported to another world on an Island called ''Mistveil Island''. The goal of this is to keep the village ''Ariana'' from the beast attacks and find the mastermind attracting this beast. You will be transported after 3 days, please be prepared. Failing the mission, will make the host experience sperm cramps for 1 week with 100% pain intensity. Time Limit: 1 Month, clock will start after getting transported.] Reading the mission, Alexander furrowed his brows. This time, he was tasked with saving a village in another world, and the difficulty was marked as "medium," indicating it would be a tough challenge. "Another world? I wonder what kind of place that will be," Alexander mumbled, rubbing his chin in deep thought. He wondered what is the different between the people from that from his, his mind then made an image about an alien with green skid and big head. "That''s no possible right" He asked himself inwardly, as he inspect at the system task again. "Saving the village from beast attacks? That sounds dangerous, I need to get stronger if I''m going to survive this. It''s literally a matter of life and death now." Just thinking about the mission filled him with unease. The idea of failing and facing the penalty was terrifying. But will he die though? Since he will die how can he be punished? [The Host will not die, if you did die during mission, you will return back to your world and that will be the punishment will start] Hearing the penalty, Alexander was terrified. Sperm cramps for a week with a 100% increase in pain intensity? That would be insanely painful. Determined to avoid that fate, he decided to spend the 1 million pesos he had in the system shop. Navigating to the system shop, Alexander knew he needed to buy at least one technique to help him survive. He was aware that 1 million wasn''t much, but in this case, purchasing even a single technique could be a lifesaver. After navigating to the system shop and choosing the technique panel, he scrolled and scrolled until finally he caught something. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Vital Draw Technique: a basic cultivation method designed to absorb natural energy from the surrounding environment to gradually strengthen the practitioner''s body. Price: 1 Million Pesos] Seeing this Alexander was ecstatic, with this after constantly absorbing the energy with the surrounding area. Not knowing how is that possible, but still. It could improve his strength making it really convenient for his upcoming mission. Clicking the buy button, the introductory of the skill and how to use it was absorbed by his mind, after absorbing the knowledge Alexander then seated at the top of the bed. [Balance: 32,168 Pesos] Sitting cross-legged on the ground, his posture perfectly straight and serene. His hands rested gently on his knees, palms facing upward, with the tips of his thumbs and index fingers touching to form a circle. He closed his eyes, allowing his breath to slow and deepen. With each inhale, he visualized drawing in the energy, that is like a vibrant string of pure white from the surrounding environment. The energy flowed through his nostrils, down his throat, and into his lungs, where it began to circulate throughout his body. As he exhaled, he imagined any impurities or negative energies being expelled from his body, leaving him feeling lighter and more focused. His mind became a still pond, undisturbed by the ripples of thought. Gradually, he began to feel a warm, tingling sensation in his palms. The energy he had gathered was now pooling inside him, the energy center located just below his navel. Which he directed this energy through every inch of his body allowing it to be nourish and strengthen his internal organs. With each cycle of breath, his breathed connection to the natural world deepened. He could sense the subtle energies of the earth beneath him, the sky above, and the life all around. In this state of profound harmony, he continued to gather and refine his self. By focusing on slow, steady breathing and channeling energy through specific points in the body, this technique increases physical endurance, enhances muscle strength, and promotes recovery. While it is the lowest grade of energy absorption techniques, it is a solid foundation for beginners to build their strength over time. Results are slow and require consistent practice, but over time, the practitioner''s body will become noticeably more resilient. Alexander who was immersed in cultivating the Vital Draw Technique, faint golden lines flickered across his skin, tracing intricate patterns as if marking the pathways of energy surging through his body. For a brief moment, his muscles tightened, veins pulsed with energy, and a glowing aura surrounded him, showing an untapped, immense power. But just as quickly as the signs appeared, they faded, leaving no trace, as if the power was hiding, waiting to fully awaken. The system, sensing something dangerous while feeling immense pressure, suddenly materialized outside, casting a strange look at Alexander. [This power... I can''t believe it. Even for a moment, I felt threatened. You are actually gifted and blessed. Even without my assistance, you would still rise to stand above everyone,] The system said, as surprise flickering across its interface, which now seemed more human-like than before. [I can''t believe it¡ªdespite my abilities, I still can''t fully comprehend what''s inside you. But let''s leave it for now. Since you''re my host, I''m excited to see what surprises you''ll bring,] it added with a tone of intrigue. The system spoke before disappearing, but Alexander was so focused that he didn''t notice what had happened. [What do you think is the reason the system is surprised by Alexander? And what is the system exactly to have a personality like a real person with its own mind and intelligence? Comment below.] Chapter 24 Trouble is Cumming! Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Alexander was completely unaware that hours had passed. The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his face, gradually waking him up and making his eyes widen.Then, a strong odor hit his nose once more remembering something bad. "Not again," Alexander sighed in dismay. He hurried to the bathroom and took a long bath, scrubbing every inch of his body. Once he was done, he wrapped a towel around his lower half and approached the mirror. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and glanced at his reflection. He looked at himself in the mirror and was stunned. His face was the same, but he felt as if his charm had increased. He radiated an otherworldly aura that surpassed even those from families who had trained and honed themselves for years. Self-reflection had never held much importance for Alexander, but today was different. Standing before the mirror, he felt something had changed. His face, once familiar, now held an undeniable magnetism. His black hair, which normally fell casually over his brow, seemed fuller, with a healthy sheen that caught the light perfectly. His blue eyes, once just sharp, now carried a depth that seemed to pull anyone in, as if they could see through souls. His skin was smoother, radiating a subtle glow that made him look almost untouched by the harshness of life. His features, while still the same with his tall, bridged nose and chiseled jawline had become more refined, more sculpted, as if an artist had subtly perfected them overnight. The slight imperfections that once made him handsome had faded, leaving behind a flawless appearance. His muscles, toned but once understated, now seemed more defined, their lines accentuated in a way that made him seem powerful without effort. It wasn''t just his physical appearance that had transformed. There was something intangible in his presence, an aura that radiated from him. It was as though the air around him had shifted, making him seem not just handsome, but untouchable like a celestial being in human form. Alexander Ashbourne had become a man who could command attention without saying a word, and the reflection in the mirror only confirmed it. "This¡ªwhat the hell happened? This is just bringing trouble to myself," Alexander said angrily, staring at his current appearance. "System, what happened? Why do I look different than yesterday?" he asked, anxiety creeping into his voice. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You don''t need to panic or feel troubled, Host. Be happy that you''ve become more handsome! The reason for this change is because of the ''Vital Draw Technique.'' It gradually removes impurities from your body, resulting in your final appearance,] The system explained the process behind Alexander''s transformation. Still unsatisfied, Alexander pressed on. "But when I leveled up, didn''t I already cleanse myself? Why did this happen again?" [Host, leveling up and channeling energy throughout your body are not the same. When you leveled up, it only cleansed you a little, its main function is to increase your stats, not to remove all the impurities. However, channeling energy flows through every inch of your body, from top to bottom, releasing it through your skin, which led to your current situation.] [Do you understand now?] The system finished speaking, Alexander then finally let go and nodded his head. Having a good appearance will be a trouble for him. [Also, you should check your current status you will be surprised] Alexander hearing this was curious, so he quickly opened his stats. Suddenly a panel showing his status appeared. [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 19 Speed: 17 Defense: 18 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 26,400 Pesos Balance: 32,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Alexander was surprised to realize that his strength had rapidly increased just by absorbing energy from the surrounding area. He couldn''t help but nod, feeling that his recent purchases weren''t actually worthless after all. Once he processed everything, he decided to put on some clothes. Since it was Saturday, he had nothing else planned, so he wasted no time in practicing his skills. He began to circulate the ''Vital Draw Technique'' and dove into his training. Outside, in a hospital ward far from Alexander, there was a guy with red hair. His arms were bandaged, and he even had some bandages wrapped around his torso beneath his clothes. His face was swollen, resembling a broken doll, as he glanced at the man standing beside him. The man, who was about 155 cm tall, wore a black suit and had a burn mark on the side of his face. "Did you investigate the kid''s background?" He looked ruthless, exuding a mafia-like aura as he faced one of his followers behind him. His totally different from any other thugs, since he looks more experienced and commanding. The thin assistant, holding a suitcase, quickly replied, "Yes, the kid''s name seems to be Alexander Ashbourne. According to the file, he''s an orphan with no connections. The only reason he was released from the charges is that Valentine from the Lancaster family was involved." Hearing this, the man sneered, madness flickering in his eyes. "That bitch from the Lancaster has no power or connections. I suppose Benjamin interfered to protect the kid," he said, his voice laced with fury. The man behind him nodded his head in agreement, he also know that Valentine did not have those strong connections, "So should we stop pursuing this matter boss? Since Benjamin would retaliate because he was already involving his self" "Stop?" His eyes glint with a ferocious smile. "Who''s afraid of who? We''re going to get our revenge also Benjamin is not even that influential, he only had money while we have fighting power. Tomorrow let''s show him that ''Black Serpent Gang'' is not a gang that cannot be mess with." The man in the black suite said. The patient hearing this was delighted, "Dad if you captured that kid, please don''t kill him. I''ll torture him slowly and then kill him" The red haired patient smiled with cruelty. The person is none other than James the one who Alex had beaten into a pulp, the person in front of him is his father. The current leader of the Black Serpent Gang, his a person that is known for his cruelty in the underworld. Making him feared by many, he does not let go or ignore any kind of grudge that involved their gang reputation especially if it''s his family reputation is on the line. "Don''t worry son I''ll let you torture that kid" The man spoked with a scoff not really putting Alexander in his sight. "But dad he was really strong, even when I bring my buddies armed with weapons, we were no match for him" James spoked, fully irritated on why they still lost. His father smiled and replied full of confidence, "Just rest because that''s up to me if he really had that ability." Hearing his father words James was full of confidence, since he knows how scheming his father is. He know exactly that kid fate is finally doomed now. "This is what you get for offending me" he said inwardly, with his eyes red with ferocity. The man heard in the report that the kid was really strong and even beat up many of his gangs, but they were only at the lower echelon, and also can he dodge guns? I don''t think so. The man then left the ward, accompanied by the guy with the suitcase. Exiting the hospital they got inside into a black sedan car, as the engine roared, they left the place. Back in his apartment, Alexander was blissfully unaware that trouble was approaching. Feeling energetic, he stood up and decided it was time to leave. After cultivating for about six hours, he glanced at the clock and saw it was now 11. Surprisingly, he didn''t feel any sweat instead, he experienced a refreshing sensation with every practice session, almost like being surrounded by snowflakes. It was a bit exaggerated, but it felt close to that. His stats had even increased slightly, boosting his mood. This time, he opted for a pair of shorts and a simple T-shirt before heading out. He was just there to sign some papers and leaved, why need to bother wearing formal dress since he can just sleep there after the signing was finished. He then went out his room and got out of the apartment. Glancing at the time in his phone, he know that his still not late. After calling a taxi he went inside and said to the driver. "To ''Summer Heights'' Uncle" he spoked. "Sure, kid buckle up your seatbelts" he said as he drives through the road. [Notice Author here! I just want to share a few updates. From now on, each chapter will be over 1,500 words, so if you unlock it with a subscription, it will definitely be worth it and not a waste of money. I made it premium to earn, but I also want you to enjoy the story and not feel ripped off with chapters under 1,100 words. If you love the story, I''d really appreciate it if you could leave a review. And if you spot any errors or something you don''t understand, feel free to comment here. That''s all for now. Sincerely yours, The Author. ] Chapter 25 Meeting Another Beauty The ride was neither fast nor slow, it moved at a steady pace all the way to the city. After crossing the intersection, they continued toward their destination, which was in the mountains but still within the city limits.The taxi driver drove to the entrance, where there was a large gate with security guards stationed. "We''ve arrived, young man," the driver said to Alexander, glancing back. "Thank you, uncle," Alexander replied with a smile, handing over 1,000 pesos for the ride. The driver''s face lit up upon seeing the money. The fare was only 312 pesos, so receiving such a generous tip made him quite happy. "Thanks, young man," the driver said as Alexander stepped out of the car. The taxi drove off, leaving Alexander standing outside the entrance. Two guards were stationed at the gate, and as he approached, one of them stopped him. "Do you have an ID young man?" The security guard asked. The security guard was momentarily stunned by Alexander''s appearance. His sharp, handsome features and piercing gaze showed that he must been trained or molded by some powerful family. Still, no matter how wealthy he might seem, the guard had to do his job. If the young man wasn''t on the entry list, he had no business being here. Besides, the fact that Alexander arrived in a taxi made the guard question his wealth and status even more. Alexander hesitated briefly before handing over his ID to the guard, who passed it to his colleague. The other guard opened a notebook and began flipping through the pages, searching for his name. As he scanned page after page, there was no sign of Alexander''s name. The guard, still checking the book, glanced at his colleague, the one who had received the ID. "Kent, this kid''s not on the list. Give him back his ID," he said, passing back the ID in his hands to Kent. Kent, the security guard, nodded and approached Alexander carrying his ID on his hands. "I believe you heard that. Your name isn''t on the list," he said after completing the inspection, and giving Alexander back his ID. Alexander furrowed his brows, didn''t they made an appointment here how come his name is not there. "Officer, there must be some mistake. I just bought a house here and was about to sign some papers. My name should be on that list," he explained. The two guards exchanged a look before Kent turned back to Alexander and asked respectfully, "Which house did you buy here?" "Evercrest Manor. I got a call last night, and our meeting is supposed to be here," Alexander replied, his expression calm and unchanged. The two guards exchanged shocked glances. ''Evercrest Manor?'' That property had been vacant for years, with rumors swirling that the owner refused to sell. Yet, they hadn''t received any notice from their superiors about someone purchasing the place. Kent the guard who was still feeling skeptical, asked again, "Are you sure it''s that place? Even some rich people can''t afford it." Alexander still patiently replied to him, "Yes, I''m sure. Why don''t you call your superiors for some checking" Kent who was still unsure, pulled out his walkie-talkie as the call was connected, he explained the situation. The chief of security, realizing that this person might be the new owner of Evercrest Manor, and quickly understood his mistake. He immediately gave instructions to his team and relayed this news to the executive who was standing and waiting outside the manor gate. "Ma''am, I received the call that the owner is outside the entrance gate" he said to the person. The woman who heard this furrowed her brows. "Didn''t I tell you to put his name on the entry list? Don''t tell me you forgot," she muttered sharply. The middle-aged man quickly looked away, avoiding her piercing angry gaze. "You did tell me, but when you asked me to drive you here, I forgot to pass it on to my people" he said, his voice fading as he finished speaking. The beautiful woman''s anger flared, but she quickly regained control and instructed, "Take me back to the entrance." The middle-aged man nodded, the chief of security, quickly opened the car door for the woman, who stepped inside. He then took the driver''s seat and quickly drove back to the gate. After a few moments, they arrived, and the gate was open. She saw that Alexander was standing there, being assisted by the two security guards. The car came to a stop just a few meters in front of them, and the chief hurriedly opened the back door. As the woman stepped out gracefully, Alexander was taken aback to see another beauty. Standing at about 5''8" with an elegant presence, the woman exuded a blend of professionalism and allure. Her long, blonde hair cascaded in soft waves down to her shoulders, gleaming in the light with a golden sheen that framed her face perfectly. Her complexion was flawless, smooth and radiant, with a hint of a natural glow, the kind that made her seem effortlessly poised. Her eyes, a striking shade of pale blue, were sharp yet inviting, conveying a sense of intelligence and confidence. Subtle yet expertly applied makeup enhanced her high cheekbones and full lips, which were painted in a soft, nude pink, adding just the right amount of color to her otherwise polished appearance. Dressed in a fitted, tailored blazer of dark charcoal, the jacket hugged her slim waist and broad shoulders, enhancing her hourglass figure without losing its professional edge. Underneath, she wore a crisp, white blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted pencil skirt that ended just above her knees, showcasing her long, toned legs. The skirt, also charcoal, allowed her to move with grace, each step confident and purposeful, her black heels adding height and accentuating her poised posture. Her outfit was finished with simple gold jewelry a delicate necklace and a matching bracelet that shimmered with every movement. Everything about her appearance was flawless, from the clean lines of her clothes to the sharp professionalism in her expression. She was the perfect blend of business savvy and effortless beauty, the kind of person who could close deals with ease and attract attention without even trying. Alexander first though that this beauty in front of him is comparable to Valentine his boss, they looked matured and sexy specially their long legs and big breast. "What the hell am I thinking?" Alexander frowned, but his expression stoic as ever. "The mind is the root of all evil" Ahh mind. The feeling Alexander had was not that of lust but pure admiration. The woman, surprised by the appearance of the person who had purchased the manor, took a moment to assess him. He was, in fact, a remarkably handsome young man. She could sense that he was different from anyone else she had met, his aura exuding a hint of mystery and elegance. As she noticed his gaze lingering on her, she did not feel uncomfortable but only a genuine curiosity. This normal look surprised her, raising her eyebrows in intrigue. Unlike many men she had encountered, who often looked at her lewdly despite their gentlemanly behavior, Alexander''s expression was refreshingly respectful. Having studied psychology, she was skilled at reading people''s expressions based on their movements and expression. However, the man in front of her was neither nonchalant nor stoic, making him unreadable. "Apologies, esteemed sir. my subordinates forgot to include your name on the list, which caused you to wait here for a moment. I will discipline him when this is done" the woman said with a polite smile, with a hint of forgiveness in his tone. The middle-aged man on the back began to sweat hearing this, he was really now in great trouble. Alexander didn''t take it to heart, understanding that the guards were simply doing their jobs. "Don''t mention it miss, well you''ve arrived so it''s good" he replied, waving his hand dismissively. The woman smiled and she passed the black file in her left hand, and then offered a handshake with his right hand. Alexander also shook his hands to finish the greetings. The middle-aged man sighed in relief when he saw that Alexander wasn''t offended at all. He silently thanked him for being so forgiving. "I''m Jessica Rivera, a Sales Director responsible for this deal. Get in the car first and I will show you where the manor is located" Jessica suggested. There was no communication during the travel since Alexander closed his eyes, wondering about what his mission going to be. Jessica, who was just beside him, look at him who closed his eyes. "Is my charm gone?" she mumbled, her brows furrowed in confusion. She didn''t dwell on the thought much, as they had just arrived outside the magnificent manor. The gate before them was an exquisite masterpiece, crafted from gleaming white metal, adorned with intricate patterns that curled and twisted like vines in bloom. Beyond the gate, two vigilant guards stood at attention. When the guards saw the car approaching, they opened the gate and allowed it to pass through, recognizing who was inside. The vehicle came to a stop outside the entrance of the grand manor. Beside the white circular driveway, the lush green lawn added to the natural and serene atmosphere. Everyone got out of the car, and Jessica moved to Alexander''s side. "I''ll be guiding you around, so try not to get lost. This place is a lot bigger than you''d expect," Jessica said to Alexander with a playful smile. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alexander just smiled from this, his looks and smiled was radiating like that of a sun truly captivating Jessica for a moment. "Jessica act like a proffessional" Jessica said angrily towards herself. [Author here. Please support me with spirit stones if you loved the story :D ] Chapter 26 A Grand Tour "Welcome to the grand entrance hall, beautiful, isn''t it?" Jessica said with a smile.Alexander did not say anything yet but inspect at the place, there was a massive, double-height entrance with intricate marble floors, a grand staircase, and crystal chandeliers hanging at the top. "Indeed" He replied, with pure appreciation in his gaze. Going inside the place it was so big and massive, he was then taken by Jessica explaining everything acting like a tour guide. "These are the living spaces, we have multiple of this living rooms each furnished with luxury couches, designed furniture''s and state of the art entertainment systems" she said with a smile. "Also, this manor consists of 20 bedrooms, each bedroom would be large, with ensuite bathrooms and private balconies greatly offering views" she continued to explain. "For the bathrooms, we have over 25, each featuring marble finishes, soaking tubs, walk-in showers, heated floors, and high-end fixtures." They continued down the hallway and arrived at a door that stood out from the rest. Jessica opened it, revealing a spacious room filled with various luxurious furnishings and intriguing items. "This is the Master Suite, the master bedroom with your own private living area, office, spa bathroom, walk in closets and a private terrace view" As she gestured Alexander to take a look. As Alexander inspected the place, he was genuinely surprised by its beauty. This was the first time he truly understood how remarkable it was to live in such luxury. Having a house like this felt like a blessing beyond imagination. However, his face remained impassive, showing no hint of emotion. Despite his unchanged expression, his mind couldn''t help but be in awe of the grandeur surrounding him. "Too much for being the second lowest price," he thought to himself. The two of them then went into another room it was a place where lots of books and shelves. "This is the library it is lined with shelves and high-end desks. The books you can find here were all placed by a famous librarian, feel free to explore if you want to" As she showed the place. Moving onto another place she took him to another floor by climbing up the grand stair. She then revealed Alexander a luxurious nestled on a serene hillside, where it greatly blends in modern time that greatly meets the tranquility of nature. As twilight descends, the house comes alive with a warm, inviting glow from its expansive glass windows. The interior lights cast a soft, golden hue, illuminating the sleek, contemporary design within. An infinity edge pool stretches out towards the horizon, its vanishing edge blending seamlessly with the distant landscape. The water appears to merge with the sky, creating an endless expanse of blue that invites anyone to lose their self in its beauty. Steppingstones were elegantly placed in the section of the pool, offering a path to a secluded lounge area where you can unwind and soak in the breathtaking views. Adjacent to this aquatic masterpiece, a cascading waterfall flows from an elevated pool, its gentle sound adding to the serene ambiance. The water tumbles gracefully over smooth stones, creating a mesmerizing display that captures the essence of tranquility. The outdoor area is like the sanctuary of relaxation, with lush greenery and carefully placed lighting, enhancing the natural beauty of the surroundings. This view is so grand that it is a perfect blend of luxury and nature, a place where modern design and the timeless allure of water come together to create an unforgettable experience. It''s a haven for Alexander who lives in a fucking apartment. The manor exuded both elegance and grandeur, a place where every detail was meticulously crafted to create a sense of harmony. "Is this even still a house?" he retorted in his mind. The place felt like a paradise. As they moved to the next area, Jessica showed him the private spa, complete with saunas, steam rooms, massage rooms, and a hot tub. It even had an indoor swimming pool, offering ultimate relaxation. The things that is even more shocking is that inside the manor. There are full sized outdoor courts for tennis, basketball, volleyball, or even multi-purpose sports area. Moving into another place it has its own state-of-the-art home theater with recliner chairs, a massive screen, Dolby Atmos sound system, and custom lighting for a cinematic experience. "This is a damn theater" He cursed inwardly. This is the first time he saw a house, that was actually has its own theater. In another room besides the theater, there was also a gym, and a fitness center equipped with the latest exercise machines, free weights and yoga areas. The Manor also had a wine Cellar with its own tasting room, that is capable of storing thousands of bottles of rare and vintage wine. It even has its own nightclub or bar area with luxury seating, a DJ booth, and a bar fully stocked with top-shelf liquor. This space could actually be served as a private entertainment area for parties. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the door swung open, a realm of gaming room unfolds towards him. The room was bathed in a soft, ambient glow from RGB LED strips that lined the walls, pulsating in sync with the beat of a game soundtrack. A massive curved ultra-wide monitor dominated the center of the space, its stunning 4K resolution offering crystal-clear visuals that made every pixel come to life. Beneath the monitor, a sleek mechanical keyboard with customizable backlighting awaited, each key responding with satisfying clicks that promised an exhilarating gaming experience. To the side, an ergonomic gaming chair, clad in breathable mesh and leather accents, stood poised for long hours of immersive play. The chair was perfectly positioned at a polished, custom-built desk made of dark hardwood, adorned with cable management solutions that kept the workspace tidy. A powerful gaming PC, a true beast of a machine, sat proudly on the desk, its tempered glass side panel revealing a dazzling array of high-performance components multi-colored fans whirring softly and a liquid cooling system glowing like a work of art. Surrounding the desk were wall-mounted shelves displaying an impressive collection of gaming memorabilia figurines of beloved characters, limited edition games, and framed artwork. A state-of-the-art sound system filled the room with rich, immersive audio, while a VR headset rested nearby, ready for the next adventure into virtual realms. The carpet was plush underfoot, muffling any sound and enhancing the sense of escapism. A mini fridge tucked in the corner stocked with energy drinks and snacks provided the perfect fuel for marathon gaming sessions. The room was not just a gaming space it was a sanctuary for every gamer''s dream a place where reality faded away, and the adventures of countless worlds awaited. The best part is there was not only a gaming room the place was also equipped with billiards, poker tables, arcade machines and other forms of entertainment. Alexander was not really gamer but seeing this made his heart palpitate, if any other gaming fanatic will be here, they will go crazy just to live here. Jessica, standing beside him, noticed his unchanging expression. Despite the grandeur of everything around them, his face remained calm and indifferent. She couldn''t help but admire him, she knew that even she wouldn''t be able to keep such composure if she lived in a place like this. "Now that we''re done with the inside, it''s time to see the outside," Jessica said, clapping her hands with a smile. Alexander brows furrowed, "There''s more?" as Jessica lead the way out. Arriving at the backdoor. For the outdoor spaces there''s at least an expansive garden with fountains, sculpture and flower beds, that is professionally maintained with paths leading to various parts of the villa. It has its own outdoor kitchen or BBQ area for dining, complete with large dining table, grills and a pizza oven. He even spotted a private helipad for helicopter landings, making the manor accessible by air. This manor even had a small airstrip for private jets. They then went underground, that''s right there''s an underground road leading to a 20-car garage, it even has its own state of the art security, it has luxury flooring, and the most eye catching is that it even has its own rotating platform for showcasing exotic cars. it did not end there yet, after getting out Jessica took him to another place. It was a luxurious guest house that is separated from the main villa, to accommodate additional guests or even staff. He was also taken to a quarter for staff housing. It is an accommodation for the villa''s staff, including butlers, chefs, cleaners, and gardeners, ensuring the estate is always perfectly maintained. But right now, his manor was like a ghost house because there''s no one inside. After returning inside the manor, the two of them sat down in the living room. Though not truly exhausted, Alexander gave off the appearance of being tired it was more a reflection of how overwhelmingly large the manor was. "Dang, just how big is this place? I think it took like an hour just to get from one area to another," Alexander said in astonishment. He had finally reached his limit with how massive the estate was. It felt less like a house and more like a small city, equipped with everything he could possibly imagine. Jessica seating at the couch also began to explain about something related to the manor. "This manor also had its own Smart Home Technology, like smart home systems, allowing voice-activated control of lights, temperature, security, and more. I''ll give you an example" "Lights off" She spoked a little loud. Then the lights in the living turned off, Alexander was surprised it has this kind of advance system. "Turn on the lights, also the TV" She commanded yet again. Then the lights were on and even the TV was powered on showing a celebrity with red hair, that''s none other than Bini Mikha. Jessica then looked at him with a smile but there''s no surprised at all making her still surprised. "But what would happen if there were strangers? Don''t they also have access to the manor?" he asked, he was surprised but isn''t this also dangerous? Jessica smiled in response. "Don''t worry for it has its own voice recognition system. My voice is registered, so it listens to me. After signing the contract, only you will have this access." Hearing this, Alexander nodded, clearly satisfied with the answer. He then asked another question. "How big is this area? and also what is the size of this manor?" He was really curious rather than calculating in his mind. Jessica smiled warmly, clearly used to this question. "The entire estate spans around 20 hectares, which is about 200,000 square meters," she explained, gesturing slightly about the vast expanse of land. "As for the manor itself, it covers approximately 10,000 square meters. It''s one of the largest properties in the region, offering both luxury and space." Alexander hearing this nodded his head, digesting the information. "So, you want to sign the papers now?" Jessica said. "Sure" Alexander replied since he had nothing to ask anymore. Jessica dressed in a professional attire, handed Alexander a sleek black folder. "Mr. Alexander, for buying this Manor this is really a great honor for choosing us. All you need to do is sign this contract, and the property is yours." Alexander took the paper and with just a sign he was now the owner. Jessica then left the place after giving Alexander the deed of ownership. Chapter 27 Call to Play Left alone in the vast manor, Alexander found himself with nothing to do, but something caught his attention. The energy in this place was incredibly dense.From the moment he stepped inside, he felt the surrounding energy being absorbed into his body. He was certain that if he trained here for just one more day, his strength would increase again. "If I cultivate for just one more day, my strength will grow by 5 points," Alexander said with a smile, excitement clear on his face. "But why is the energy so abundant here? Back at my apartment, it''s much scarcer," Alexander wondered, deep in thought. "Could it be because this place is in the mountains?" he pondered, raising his eyebrows. It seemed like the most logical explanation. Without knowing whether his theory was true or not, he made his way down the hallway and arrived at the master bedroom. The Manor was large, but Alexander had already memorized the layout of the entire place, so he did not get lost. Thanks to the increase in his stats, Alexander noticed a boost in his intelligence as well. After entering the room, he sat on the king-sized bed, crossing his legs. White streams of energy began swirling around him, and with every passing second, minute, and hour, he could feel his power growing. His breathing quickened, but not a drop of sweat formed on his skin. His mind remained focused, his face calm as he continued on his path without disturbance. He felt at one with the world, while his consciousness awakening within him. Everything around him was pitch black, with the white energy serving as the only light in the darkness. Far away from Alexander, in a dark alley, there stood a bar guarded by several men with large, muscular builds. Their bodies were covered in tattoos, and their faces were as fierce as lions. Inside, in the underground section of the bar, two men sat at a table, while two women attended to a middle-aged man, massaging him or offering him drinks. The man had a burn mark on his face and was short in stature, but his height was not to be underestimated. His accomplishments were far more impressive than anyone might assume at first glance. The man was none other than James''s father, sipping wine served by a young woman in a sleeveless black dress. He glanced at his thin assistant standing quietly in across the table him. "So, how did it go?" James''s father asked, looking at the assistant. The assistant adjusted his glasses slightly before replying, "He took the call, boss. He said he''d be here tomorrow, but¡­" His voice trailed off. "But what" Jonathan said hearing the suspense at the end. "He''ll only accept if you pay him 1 billion pesos to take action," the thin assistant said. Jonathan furrowed his brows, closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. "I see. Tell him we''ll agree," he replied. The assistant was stunned that his boss accepted such an outrageous deal. "Boss, isn''t that amount a bit excessive? He''s just a fighter. Why are we paying him so much?" he asked, his expression was so confused, about what made the old man worth a billion. Like an old man who''s a fighter? What happens if he has a backache during a fight? Isn''t that just throwing away money instead of saving it for future use? sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jonathan looked at his confused expression feeling amused, "Ethan there''s a lot of things you don''t know from this world there are people that is different than normal" he explained. Ethan his assistant was even more confused, "What do you mean different than normal?" "You''ll understand tomorrow what I mean. Just tell him we''re happy to accept his offer," Jonathan said, a wide smile arching across his face. Ethan grew curious about who this old man could be, but knowing he''d find out tomorrow, his questions would soon be answered. He walked out to relay his boss''s message to the old man via a phone call. Jonathan took another sip of his wine, confident that victory was within reach now that he had a grandmaster on his side. "Benjamin, this time you''re going to lose big," he said, finishing with a laugh. He then pinned the woman who was serving him with fine wine to the couch, tearing off her dress, revealing her cleavage before taking her forcefully. "Master, be gentle" The lady said, her voice was flirtatious. "Woman you''re playing with fire" as he ravaged her. The room then was filled with sounds unsuitable for minors. The next day passed, and as the sun bathed the manor in light, Alexander remained in bed, deeply focused on his cultivation. Suddenly, the sunlight streamed across his face, rousing him from his slumber. As he opened his eyes, his blue pupils sparkled with radiant energy. He took a deep breath through his nostrils, then rose from the bed and began to stretch. "System show me my status" Alexander mumbled. [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 26 Speed: 23 Defense: 24 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 46,200 Pesos Balance: 32,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Seeing this, Alexander realized his strength had increased fivefold. Back in the apartment, it would have only increased by 2 or 3, but the energy in this place was far superior. Not only had his strength improved, but his speed and defense had also seen a slight boost. Just then, his phone rang with a familiar number. He picked it up and pressed it to his ear. "Alexander, do you want to join us? Sophie and I are going shopping and then hitting the arcade. Want to play?" the girl''s voice asked from the other end. "Sure, I''d be glad to," Alexander nodded in response. "Hurry up and get here! We''re at Robinson''s. Be fast!" she urged. "Okay, I''ll go right away," Alexander replied, realizing he had nothing else planned. Enjoying the day sounded like a great idea. He took a quick shower in his bathroom, drying himself off with a towel in no time. Then he put on a black tank top and matching shorts that showcased his muscles. He looked like a figure carved from a painting; the simple clothes he wore were elevated by his temperament and demeanor, greatly enhancing his appearance. The saying "clothes make the man" didn''t apply to Alexander at all. As he exited the manor, the two guards quickly opened the gate and greeted him with a respectful "Good morning." Alexander responded respectfully and walked down the path, which was lined with many houses leading to various villas and small manors. After making his way down, he arrived at the gate and saw the familiar face of the security guard named Kent. He walked over to him. Seeing Alexander who was coming to him, Kent quickly opened the entrance gate and said, "Sorry about yesterday I didn''t know," feeling embarrassed, remembering yesterday and also afraid of offending a big shot. Alexander waved it off with a smile. "There''s nothing wrong with what you did. You were just doing your job." The security guard sighed in relief. Alexander, noticing the lack of taxis around, found himself in a dilemma, unsure if any would come down this road. "Are there any taxis that come through here?" Alexander asked Kent. Hearing this question Kent was stunned, "Does he not have the car" he asked inwardly filled with confusion. "No, actually, you''re the first person to arrive in a taxi here. Most owners come in Maseratis, Ferraris, or other expensive cars. You''re really a low-profile young master," Kent said, mistakenly assuming Alexander was a modest kind of rich guy. "Low profile, my ass," Alexander thought to himself. "But how can I get a ride to leave this place?" Alexander asked. Kent smiled at this and replied, "I can give you a ride, young master. We have a black car from the company right over there, if you want me I can take you to your destination." Hearing this Alexander was surprised, "Aren''t you working right now" he spoked inquiringly. "Actually, young master, you''re special because you''ve bought the most expensive manor. We''ve been instructed to assist you in any way we can. So, what do you say?" Kent asked. Worried about wasting more time since Claire and Sophie were waiting for him, Alexander replied, "Okay, then take me to Robinson. I have an appointment with a friend." "Sure, young master," Kent said as he drove the car out from the display area in the parking lot. He pulled the car out, and Alexander settled into the backseat. "We''re on our way now, young master," Kent informed him from the front. Alexander felt uncomfortable with the term "young master." "Just call me Alexander; no need for formalities," he said. Kent was stunned and found himself in a dilemma. "Young master, I¡ª" Seeing the troubled expression on Kent''s face in the rearview mirror, Alexander sighed and added, "You can call me whatever you want if that makes you more comfortable." Kent sighed in relief. "Thank you, young master" Kent understood that his status was low, and addressing a rich person by their name without any title could cost him his job. So, he felt grateful for Alexander''s respectful attitude. Chapter 28 Youre Playing With Fire As he got in the car, Alexander thought that buying a car was important. "Another grind, I suppose," he said to himself.The car drove down the path leading to the city. After a few minutes, they finally arrived and the car traveled for a while, finally arriving at the large mall named ''Robinson''. "Young master, we have arrived," Kent said, looking back. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alexander nodded and took something out of his pocket money, about 5,000 pesos, giving it to Kent. Seeing the large sum of money, Kent was stunned. "Young master, this..." he said, glancing at the cash with a shocked face. Alexander just smiled at his expression. "Take it, consider it as a gift of mine for your service. You can''t say no," he said, taking no as an answer. Kent was reluctant at first but accepted the money. This money was small to Alexander, but for Kent, it was a lifesaver. His mother was sick and needed to buy some medicine. "Thank you, young master," Kent said, accepting the money. "You''re welcome. I''m off now," Alexander said, patting Kent on the shoulder. He then got out of the car, and Kent, in the driver''s seat, bid him farewell and thanked Alexander again. Outside the mall, many girls, seeing Alexander, were shocked. This was their first time seeing such a handsome male, that is tall and had a muscular build. Alexander, feeling the gazes of the women in the mall like wolves wanting to eat him, made him sighed. "This is really a great problem," Alexander said as he went inside the mall. Everywhere he walked, he was the center of attention. He was like a celebrity, famous throughout his country, as people looked at him with admiration. He then took out his cellphone and called Claire, asking for their current location. Claire replied that they were just on the second floor, near a clothing shop. Alexander nodded and took an escalator. Arriving at the location, he searched his gaze at the place and found Claire, beside her was the chief''s daughter, Sophie. He then waved his hands up, making him be spotted by the girls. Then the three of them were finally together. "Alexander, what took you so long? Isn''t your apartment just close to the mall?" she said, not knowing why it took him over 30 minutes to come. "Sorry, I wasn''t at home when you called me," he replied, with a forgiving tone. "Hmph, if you say so, I''ll forgive you this time," Claire said with her arms on her hips, she''s a like a girlfriend being angry at his boyfriend. Sophie, seeing the two interact, understood that their relationship must have improved, making them buddies in just a span of five days. Claire was wearing a long-sleeve hoodie that reaches over his hips. The hoodie features a striking graphic design with various white texts and illustrations, including stars and a shield or crest, all set against a dark background. For the bottom she''s wearing a loose-fitting cargo pants with large side pockets, which are solid-colored and match the dark tone of the hoodie. She looks like a tomboy in style, besides her is none other than Sophie. Sophie was standing full of youthful grace, her short black hair cut just above her chin in a sleek, simple style that frames her soft, heart-shaped face. Her deep brown eyes hold a quiet innocence, reflecting her youth and giving her an approachable, fresh-faced beauty. Her complexion is smooth and radiant, with a natural glow that complements her unadorned features, making her appear effortlessly pretty, like a maiden still in the bloom of youth. She is dressed in a sleeveless, skater-style dress, the fitted bodice hugging her slim frame before flaring into a gently swaying skirt. The navy-blue color of the dress contrasts beautifully with her fair skin, and its smooth, medium-weight fabric moves gracefully with her as she sways, the hem of the dress sitting just above her knees. With a round neckline and a concealed zipper at the back, the simple yet elegant design of the dress gives her an air of a simple yet elegant girl. "So where do you two want to play?" Alexander asked, looking for their suggestions. "Didn''t we say we are going to shop? Let''s go now," Claire declared, pointing towards the clothing shop as they started walking. Sophie, who was beside her, whispered in her ear, "Claire, can you not be so loud? So many people are looking at us." Claire then shifted her view and saw that many gazes were landing on them. "Just let them be, it''s not our fault we''re beautiful," she said with confidence as her hair flutter. The spectators, hearing this, were speechless. There was only one word in their minds "Shameless." But she really had the ability to back it up. Sophie just shook her head in dismay. She then slowed down and arrived at Alexander''s side. "So how was your first week of working at the restaurant, Alexander?" Sophie said, with her eyes looking at him. She felt that Alexander had undergone some changes from the last time she saw him. He was beyond handsome, but now there was some kind of force or demeanor that made Alexander more appealing to the eye. "Oh, actually, it''s the best, though. Not only is the salary big, the work isn''t even actually that hard. What about you? You''re actually amazing, though. Balancing work in the restaurant and being a tutor after that is impressive," Alexander said with full amazement. Sophie just smiled from the compliment, "It''s actually not that great though, since I''m not the only who can do this." she stated making a point. "But still, that''s them and you''re you. From my perspective, you are much more amazing," Alexander said seriously. He had worked hard for all of his life, so he knew how hard it is to manage time. In the restaurant, he could see that there were a lot of customers and only her and her father were the cooks. If that wasn''t enough, she even had the strength to continue with her tutoring, showing how truly dedicated she was. "What are you two talking about?" Claire, in front of the two of them, asked since she was left out. "Nothing, just some casual conversation," Sophie replied with a slight smile. Claire didn''t say anything more and finally, they arrived at the clothing shop. It was filled with girly clothes, and Claire began to try all of them. She also tried to find clothes that were perfect for Sophie, by making her try out the dresses and clothes that she picked up. "Claire, you don''t need to let me try out the clothes since I''m not going to buy it," Sophie said, feeling embarrassed. "Who said you are going to pay? Don''t worry, let your good sister help you out," Claire said with a smile. "But this isn''t right," Sophie was about to decline, but Claire interjected directly. "Were sisters, this is what should I do or are you saying we are not?" She said with brows furrowed, her gaze is questioning. "Of course, we are, but-" Sophie didn''t finish her sentence when Claire already spoke. "Then that''s good, I''m going to buy some clothes for you," Claire spoke with stars in her eyes as she went from every part of the clothing shop to make Sophie try it. Alexander, who was following the two, was tired mentally. They were already in this clothing shop for an hour. "Woman who are in shopping sprees are really scary," Alexander spoke inwardly, his hand already filled with a stack of clothes and dresses from Claire. "I think that''s about it" Claire said, "What about you Alexander, do you have any clothes that you like?" she asked. "Nope I do not, let''s just go and pay this" Alexander relayed his answer. "Suit yourself then" They then paid the bill that cost around 10,000 pesos worth of clothing. Alexander now was carrying a lot of clothing bags on his hands as they walked outside the clothing shop. Finally, they went into the arcade. "Alexander, since you have been carrying the clothing bags for a while now, I will give you the honor of choosing a game," she said, pointing at every arcade game. He nodded since he wants to enjoy his day as he tries to find something that was girly since he wanted the two to enjoy as well. Looking at the right side, close to the wall, he spotted a crane game. "What about that" Alexander pointed at the machine, where you insert a coin to control a mechanical claw, which you maneuver to try and grab a prize. The prizes were some cute stuffed toys that were so girly and cute. Claire face become distorted and disgusted, "That game is for girls. What about that, let''s go," she declined as she walked to a shooting game. Alexander''s face grew some black lines, but he still followed her. "If you want to play that game, why did you ask my opinion in the first place?" he said with a sullen face. Sophie, beside them, just giggled at their interaction. Claire then bought some coins, spending 1,000 pesos without batting an eye. "It really feels good to be rich" Alexander said inwardly. "But aren''t I''m also rich?" he continued. They then went to an empty slot of the machine game it was a large, high-definition flat screen that displays the game environment and targets. The screen is usually mounted at eye level for easy viewing. it has it''s own gun controller a replica of a firearm, often with realistic weight and feel. It even have it''s own buttons and triggers to shoot and reload, and sometimes even recoil feedback to simulate the feel of firing a real gun. The game is housed in a sturdy cabinet that supports the screen and gun controllers. It was also accompanied by a high-quality speaker providing an immersive sound effects, including gunfire, explosions, and character dialogue. Standing at the empty slot, Claire looked at Alexander, filled with competitiveness. "Let''s have a challenge. If you win, I will do anything you say, but if I win, you''ll listen to everything I said," she said playfully. Alexander was about to accept when Sophie, behind him, warned, "Alexander, don''t. She''s a professional shooter. She even ranked first in this place. Look at the leaderboards on the screen over there." He then gazed at the screen and saw a name in first place ''SailorMoon''. He then looked back at Claire''s proud face. "What a childish name" he said inwardly but did not blurt it out. "Is that yours?" Alexander asked, pointing at the screen that was hanging up. "Of course it''s mine, what now are you scared?" She said trying to provoke Alexander. Alexander just smiled mischievously, "girl you''re playing with fire" he said inwardly. "Who''s afraid of who" he said accepting the challenge. Chapter 29 Game on Seeing the confidence in Alexander''s face, Claire couldn''t help but laugh, as if she had already won."I can''t wait to see the look on your face when you taste this young lady''s prowess," she imagined Alexander''s look after losing, making her giggle. "Yeah, yeah. So, what are the rules?" Alexander asked, wanting to stop her arrogant behavior. "Are you so excited to lose?" Claire pursed her lips, feeling amused. "Alright then, these are the rules of the game. We''ll each have 10 coins to play, and the highest score wins," Claire said, flashing a grin. Alexander didn''t see anything wrong with the rules, so he decided to play her game. He was confident, of course. "So, can you give me an introduction on how to play this game first?" Alexander said with a blank and emotionless expression. Hearing this Claire could not hold her laugher, she let out a giggle that sounded like a string of tiny bells, her eyes twinkling with mischief. It was a laugh that could melt the coldest heart, a sound that promised pure joy and unadulterated happiness. But to Alexander, it was a laugh of mockery. He only quirked a smile, letting her enjoy the moment. Claire, however, was still laughing, even holding her stomach as a tear escaped her eye. "Are you done?" Alexander said, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I''m done," Claire said, readjusting herself, but a few giggles still escaped her lips. Sophie, seeing this, felt bad for Alexander. "If you don''t know how to play, why did you accept the challenge?" Her lips twitched, but she only said this in her mind. "Okay, now I''m going to explain it to you in beginner terms. This game is called ''Project: Z-Zero''. It''s a game where you shoot zombies and gain power-ups when you kill a lot of them. So, first, you drop a coin, then you pick up this toy gun. There''s a wire attached to this magazine, which acts as a connector, so the indicator moves and you watch it," Claire said, picking up the toy gun with wires attached, moving it upside down. The screen showed a crosshair moving, indicating where the bullets would be fired. "When you fire the gun 10 times, it will reload for 2 seconds, then you can shoot again. You only have 3 minutes before the game ends, so you''ll have to insert another coin for the character to move again for 3 minutes. Remember, you have to insert the coin after 1 minute has passed, or it will restart, and you''ll lose your score." "But we''re not going to play that kind of game. We''ll play the 20-minute game challenge. As you can see on the leaderboard over there, there are 10, 20, and 30-minute challenges. It depends on the player what challenge they want to play. You can even see my name on every challenge there," she said triumphantly, a victorious smile appearing on her face. "Oh," Alexander said, a single word indicating his understanding. "What''s with that look of yours?" she said scornfully. "Let''s see if you''ll have that expression when you lose miserably," she said smugly. "Now let''s start the challenge. Sophie, you''ll act as the referee and the witness of this challenge. If I lose, then I''ll do what he does, and if I win, he''ll do what he does," Claire said, looking back towards Sophie. "Sure, I''ll act as the witness of your match. Whoever loses and doesn''t take their words will be deemed a loser forever," Sophie said, resigned to her fate as the referee between these two. Then the battle began. Claire inserted all of the coins and navigated to the 20-minute challenge. Alexander did the same, inserting all of his coins. Claire grabbed the gun, and the level started. Gruesome-faced zombies appeared, and she expertly controlled the gun, firing at their heads. The gun on the screen moved, creating a blue light ray that hit the zombies'' heads, killing them instantly and earning her 10 points. She didn''t stop there. She maneuvered the gun in her palm, shooting every zombie that appeared. Her movements were precise, hitting the zombies directly in the head. The zombies moved slowly, so before they could take a few steps, they were already dead. Alexander watched Claire play from the side, his gaze fixed on her serious face. He was so engrossed in watching her that he didn''t realize his own game had already started and a zombie was already biting his character. "Umm, Alexander, you''re being bitten!" Sophie exclaimed, unable to hold back her reminder. Alexander was stunned by Sophie''s words. He quickly grabbed the gun and fired at the zombie that was biting his player''s arm. The bullet hit the zombie''s head, killing it instantly. He earned 10 points. Seeing Alexander''s foolish actions, Claire couldn''t help but laugh. Victory felt assured. Her points had already reached 300, while Alexander was stuck at a measly 30. Alexander, struggling to control the gun, couldn''t hit the zombies that were further away. He tried to center the crosshair on their heads, but the recoil was so strong, making him miss. After 5 minutes had passed, some zombies had even approached Alexander and bitten his arms. His health was reduced to just 1, putting him at risk of losing if he were bitten again. On the other hand, Claire''s character still had full health. Upon reaching the maximum points, she unleashed a skill that turned her gun into a machine gun, unleashing a barrage of bullets at the zombies. Their speed increased as time went on, but Claire remained unfazed, showing no signs of stress on her face. Claire was so engrossed in her game that she had no time to spare for Alexander. Meanwhile, Sophie, standing behind them, glanced between Alexander''s screen and Claire''s. The difference between the two was like night and day. Alexander''s score was only 180, while Claire had already reached 770. The difference in score was immense, compounded by the fact that Alexander only had 1 health left. As the zombies closed in on him, Alexander shot at their heads and took down multiple zombies in one swift motion. "Now I''ve got the hang of it," he exclaimed, flashing a grin. A few minutes earlier, he had experimented with different ways to hold the gun properly. He discovered that even a slight lift caused the crosshair to move too high, and the slightest movement shifted the crosshair significantly. After some practice, Alexander mastered the gun. His aim had improved, and he had learned to handle the recoil. With just one shot, he adjusted for the slight bend caused by the recoil, effortlessly lowering the gun and firing again as if there was no recoil at all. The zombies rushing towards him were swiftly taken down, turning into experience points. As he reached the maximum points, he activated a random skill that granted him dual-wielding guns. It is a two MP5s, one in each hand, their compact frames buzzing with suppressed fire. He aimed it with a deadly grace, a blur of motion and lead. The weight of the rifles felt reassuring in his character hands, since it allowed him to fire with pinpoint accuracy. The wave of zombies appeared, running wildly. Some wore armor, shields, and there was even a fast-running zombie dog. However, with the gun in his hands, no zombie could get close to Alexander. Every shot he took was a precise hit to the head. He aimed at the endless stream of zombies approaching, earning points with each precise shot. Meanwhile, Sophie looked solemn, her brows furrowed in a serious expression. The difficulty level had increased significantly. The zombies were much tougher, wearing armor and helmets, and their speed had increased drastically. Her aim wavered because she could only kill them by targeting the neck or body, as they swarmed from every direction, earning her only half the points. Sometimes, she was even bitten by dog zombies that appeared unexpectedly, causing her to lose health. With five minutes remaining until the challenge ended, the zombies became even stronger, their defenses increasing to the point where even headshots required at least three hits to eliminate them. Alexander remained calm, gripping the gun in his hand as he skillfully shot down the zombies without letting a single one escape his sight. Every shot was aimed at the head, swiftly taking them down, even those who were fast enough to evade others were still shot. Sophie standing behind, unable to hide her amazement as her eyes blinked rapidly in disbelief. Just moments ago, Alexander was on the verge of losing, yet now he managed to survive with only 1 health remaining, showcasing his true skills. His movements were precise, his so focus and his eyes is so captivating. Sophie couldn''t help but be momentarily entranced, her cheeks flushing before settling into deep contemplation. She was curious if Alexander had tricked Claire, trapping her from imposing a condition on the game. His carefree demeanor suggested that the challenge wasn''t particularly difficult for him. Shifting her gaze to Sophie, she observed her struggling to keep up with the relentless zombies. Even with a 15-second power-up, it was still a struggle to slow them down. Finally, after 20 minutes, the game ended. Claire breathed a sigh of relief and a proud look was spreading across her face as she checked her score. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was ''5732'', a total that surpassed her previous score by over 200 points, demonstrating her improvement. She glanced at Alexander, knowing she had won, only to find him standing behind her, feeling amused in his eyes as he observed her score. "Don''t tell me you lost so early that you came to watch me play," she said, a smug smile playing on her lips. "It''s okay to lose, Alexander. There''s still room for improvement," Claire said, her voice dripping with playful teasing. But when she met his gaze, it felt like he was looking at an idiot. Shifting her eyes towards Sophie, she saw a sly smile arching across her lips. A wave of fear washed over Claire, chilling her to the bone. "That''s impossible for him to win," she scoffed, then strode over to Alexander''s spot to check his score. Her jaw dropped in as she looked at in silence. Chapter 30 Consider this a gift Her face was one of disbelief as she saw the score. She looked pale as she stared at the scene before her."Impossible," she muttered, slamming her fist against the metal fence that marked the boundary for players shouldn''t cross. She was pale and couldn''t believe what had just happened. Alexander''s score from the game was a staggering 10,859 - double from her own. "My record," she said, her voice filled with grievance. Claire glared at Alexander, her eyes narrowed, "Alexander, this isn''t fair! You''ve clearly cheated. You''re a newbie, aren''t you? How can your score be better than mine? Don''t tell me you''re a wolf in sheep''s clothing!" she retorted, her voice laced with accusation. Alexander, upon hearing this, furrowed his brows. "It''s not my fault you''re weak," he said, his tone dripping with pity. "Your title as the first placer of this game is actually so-so" Claire''s anger flared. She knew Alexander was a skilled fighter, but how could he also be so good at shooting games? It just didn''t seem possible. "Hmph, this doesn''t count. You''ve clearly cheated," she declared, her voice dripping with authority. "The bet is void." Alexander raised an eyebrow, listening incredulously to Claire''s excuse for not accepting defeat. Seeing his look of disbelief, Claire simply ignored it and spoke. "What do you still want to argue about?" she said, her glare unwavering. "No," he said quickly. Women''s emotions really did change faster than flipping a book. Just a minute ago she was beaming, and now that she''d lost, she was blaming him. What a cruel world this was. Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, thinking to himself. Hearing his reply, Claire''s smile returned, her expression becoming playful once again. "That''s good. This young lady forgives you," she said shamelessly, completely forgetting about the bet and her loss. "Let''s try playing other games." Sophie watched the two of them interact, with a chuckle escaping from her lips. They then moved on to a game called Whack-a-Mole, where the goal was to whack as many moles as you could. Claire went first, but after ten moles popped out, she only managed to hit two or three. She was frustrated and angry, so she started smashing the moles relentlessly whenever they appeared, seemingly intent on destroying them rather than just hitting them. Alexander couldn''t help but laugh and receive a glare from Claire, forcing him to keep quiet. Next, it was Sophie''s turn. She picked up the hammer and whacked away, hitting a respectable six moles, earning more points than Claire had. Alexander gave Sophie a thumbs up, making her smile as she stepped down. It was his turn next, and he picked up the hammer. As he was holding it, a mole popped out, and with a swift, fluid motion, Alexander whacked it without any trouble. His movements were precise and effortless. As more moles emerged, none escaped his grasp, and he hit them all, earning a perfect score. He then turned to the two of them, who stood there with their mouths hanging open in shock. They couldn''t actually see Alexander swinging the hammer, but they heard the resounding "smack" every time it hit a mole, sending it back down into its hole. Alexander gazed at Claire, a wide smile stretched across his face that clearly interprets as, "You''ve lost again." Her idolized look instantly transformed into anger. They played a few more games, challenging each other with each one. Currently, they were engaged in a racing game. Alexander noticed that Sophie was missing. When he looked around for her, he saw her standing by the area where he''d pointed out the first game, the one where Claire had asked for her opinion. Alexander stood up from the driver''s seat, leaving Claire behind. She was so focused on winning that she didn''t even notice he''d already left her side. "Do you want a toy?" Alexander asked Sophie, who was completely unaware he was standing behind her. Sophie, who had been intently watching the machine, suddenly heard a voice behind her, giving her a fright. Turning around, she saw a familiar figure, which brought a wave of relief. "Alexander, don''t scare me like that," she said coldly, but her expression was so adorable that it couldn''t possibly frighten anyone. "You almost gave me a heart attack." Her appearance, voice and even the way she acts and moves. Is like a pure innocent girl, that is an ideal partner for every man. "Oh, sorry about that," Alexander said, "I just noticed you''d been spacing out for a while, looking at the claw machine. Do you want one?" Sophie shook her head. She really wanted it, but it seemed impossible to win the stuffed toy. It was just so hard. She didn''t want to embarrass Alexander because the odds of winning were so slim. Seeing her shake her head, Alexander could tell that she really wanted it. Because he could see it in her eyes. Without saying a word, he walked over to the claw machine and inserted a coin. He then took control of the controller and pressed the button, sending the claw lowering to capture its prey. Sophie, realizing what was happening, quickly walked toward Alexander. "Alexander, you don''t have to! I said I¡ª" Her words were cut short as she saw the claw carrying the plush toy. When the toy fell into the prize drop, Alexander retrieved it and held it out to Sophie, extending his hand towards her. She was stunned. Seeing the cute toy, she couldn''t help but take it and hug it tightly, pressing it against her chest. The plush toy''s cottony exterior was as soft as a baby''s cheek, practically begging to be cuddled. The plush was shaped like a bunny, with big, expressive eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischief. Its white fur was so inviting, you just wanted to sink your fingers into its plushy embrace. She couldn''t help but release a blooming smile as she looked at Alexander. Her eyes were sweet and captivating, filled with affection. She looked at him bashfully, with her cheeks flushed with color. "Thank you for the gift, Alexander," she said, her cheeks still flushed. Alexander was captivated for a moment. He felt like his heart was racing. He couldn''t help but be stunned. Wasn''t his heart made of stone, because of his skills? How could it be so turbulent for a moment? "Don''t mention it," he replied, as he made a fake cough. "The two of you were actually here! I''ve been looking for you everywhere," Claire said, her voice laced with annoyance being left behind. Seeing the interaction between Alexander and Sophie, and noticing Sophie''s blushing and shy face, Claire''s heart began to panic. "Did something happen while I was gone for a moment?" she asked, her gaze scanning the two of them, searching for clues. Both Alexander and Sophie looked at her, their eyes meeting hers. But Claire did not care and continued scanned them from top to bottom, searching for answers. Finally, her gaze landed on the bunny plush toy, the cutest she''d ever seen. With a knowing look, she finally understood. "Sophie, that toy?" Claire pointed at the plush, her voice laced with suspicion. "Oh, this? Alexander won it for me in just one round," Sophie said, her face beaming with happiness. "He''s actually so good." Hearing this, Claire realized that she wanted one too, but she was too embarrassed to ask Alexander. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the bunny, unable to hide her desire. Noticing this, Alexander asked her, "You want one?" "Hmph, who wants that? I''m not a child," she said, her arms crossed over her chest, puffing out her cheeks like a child trying to hide their true feelings. "Okay," Alexander nodded, then continued. "Let''s go eat. We''ve been here for hours now, I''m starving," he suggested, and then he and Sophie left the arcade. Being left behind, Claire stared in disbelief. "This wasn''t in the script!" she exclaimed. "Weren''t you supposed to ask me if I wanted it? Or maybe even win me the prize without my consent, you idiot? I hate you!" She fumed, following after them. After exiting the arcade, Alexander noticed that Claire was keeping her distance from him. "Did I even offend her?" Alexander wondered, but nothing came to his mind. He just shrugged it off and continued walking. "Do you guys want to eat here? My treat," Alexander said, pointing at the place. The place he pointed to was called ''Jollibee'' a famous fast-food restaurant in his country. Hearing the words "my treat," Sophie was skeptical for a moment. Wasn''t Alexander trying to save money, since he was working as waiter? But Claire, who was behind her, was too clouded by anger to care. She just harrumphed and walked inside, so Sophie could only follow her. Finding a table, Alexander asked what they wanted to order. "I just want the Original Chicken, Alexander," Sophie replied, choosing the lowest price on the menu. "I want the C3," Claire said, puffing out her cheeks. "It says here that it comes with three chicken pieces, one sauce, one burger steak, one coke float, and one rice. Hmph." She harrumphed in her last sentence, still holding a grudge. Alexander, starting to get a feel for Claire''s attitude, knew the best counter for it, it was to ''ignore it''. "Okay, it''s going to take a while," he said as he joined the line. After waiting for a while, he sat down with the two of them, carrying a check that came to over 898 pesos, which was really not a big amount for him. Seeing the bill, Sophie couldn''t help but feel bad for Alexander. When the order arrived, they began to eat a hearty meal, Sophie then asked Alexander. "Alexander, how come you''re so good back at the arcade? Especially playing ''Project: Z-Zero.'' I think your score will remain undefeated there forever," she said, her voice filled with admiration. Claire, who was biting the chicken, nearly choked. She remembered her arrogant, and prideful look at that time and how Alexander had crushed her triumphant expression into oblivion. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now that Sophie had mentioned it again, Claire could only vent her anger through the fried chicken, eating it without minding her image as a woman. Suddenly, a girl''s voice sounded behind Alexander. "Alexander, what a coincidence! You''re actually here?" Her voice was charming and soothing to the ear. Chapter 31 Crush Since Elementary Alexander recognized the familiar voice and a girl from his high school years instantly appeared in his mind. He looked back and saw a girl with a happy smile gazing at him."Zya? What a coincidence," Alexander exclaimed, surprised, as he stood up from his seat. Seeing his surprised expression, Zya smiled delicately, her voice coquettish. Without hesitation, she hugged Alexander, who was still facing away from her. Alexander was shocked and his face flushed red as he was unexpectedly embraced. "How have you been these past few days, Alexander?" she asked, her eyes glimmering as she looked at Alexander with longing. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But she stopped her gaze, realizing that he wasn''t alone. Two women were accompanying him, and she gazed at them coldly. Claire, who was shocked by the sudden intimacy, was stunned, but then angry. Her eyes flared as she gazed back coldly towards Zya. Her eyes were indicating the words ''mine'' with her violent gaze looking at her, but Zya did not back down. Instead, she scoffed at the two. Sophie, on the side, was bewildered. Why was the girl who hugged Alexander looking at her aggressively? Also, she even hugged Alexander without any constraint. Couldn''t she have asked the other party first before she did that? She only pouted as she did not back down from the gaze either. Seeing their looks, Alexander hurriedly introduced Sophie and Claire to her. "Oh, yeah, Zya, these are my new friends. This is Claire, the boss''s sister from where I work, and this is Sophie, the cook of the restaurant. We came here to have fun but decided to eat since we are hungry. What about you? Are you also here to eat?" he asked curiously. "Yes, a friend of mine invited me to eat here," she said scornfully, purely irritated or feeling disgust with the person who invited her. Zya stood tall, a striking 5''8" with long, raven-black hair that cascaded down her back. Her features were small and perfectly proportioned, with a high forehead framed by her long, dark hair. Her eyes, the most striking aspect of her face, were large and almond-shaped, with a captivating shade of crimson that seemed to glow with an inner light. They were framed by long, thick eyelashes, and a hint of matureness always seemed to linger in their depths. Her nose was small and straight, and her pink cherry lips were so charming to look at. Her expression was one of quiet confidence, with a hint of a smile playing on her lips. She seemed to be both playful and intelligent, a combination that made her all the more intriguing. She was dressed in a crisp white blazer, adorned with black trim, over a black collared shirt and a vibrant turquoise tie. The blazer was paired with a pleated white skirt that fell just above her knees, and she wore black tights that accentuated her long legs. Her attire exuded an air of sophistication. Zya Puertas is Alexander''s best friend all the way back from elementary school. She was talkative and cute, and she sometimes loved to talk with him. There were times when his classmates bullied him, and she was always there to stand up for him. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also brave and smart. This is when Alexander developed a crush on her when he was 12 years old. At that time, he really wanted to confess but didn''t want to. Since her family was rich, she had many suitors at that time, even though she was just a child. When they were in high school, her suitors were not only rich but also came from families with strong family backgrounds. So he only buried this in his heart and let time slowly extinguish that flame. Since he knew that the two of them weren''t compatible and if he confessed and she said no, then their friendship for years would be ruined for nothing. Hearing his words, Alexander was about to ask what friend when suddenly a voice of a guy came. "Zya, sorry I''m late. What do you want to eat? Do you want a-" His voice stopped as he saw a man was so close to Zya, seeming like they were a couple. His eyes flared with jealousy, his face turned red with anger. He bared his teeth and closed the distance between them. "Hey, you! Why are you sticking so close to Zya? With your poor clothes, do you think you can afford her?" he spoke without restraint. His vicious eyes and malicious words were so bad to hear. Alexander narrowed his eyes and was about to retort, but someone already beat him to it. "Shut up you dog. Being rich isn''t an achievement when your attitude stinks like that. You walk around like your money can buy respect, but news flash ¨C it can''t. You look like you just crawled out of a trash heap, and yet you have the nerve to insult Alexander? Please. He''s got more beauty and decency in his little finger than you''ll ever have in your entire miserable existence. And guess what? Your face looks like it was kicked by a donkey, it makes me want to puked." Claire retorted in a high voice, her anger roused if it concerns Alexander name. The people dining inside were startled by the sudden shout, turning their heads to see the source. It was an argument between charming individuals. Hearing a girl berate him in front of a crowd, the guy''s gaze shifted, his eyes seeming to hold a flicker of anger. But when he saw that it was a beautiful woman, his face softened into a smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. "There''s not just one beauty, but two! How can this bastard be so lucky?" The man thought to himself, inwardly envious of Alexander''s good fortune. He only looked at the girl, her tomboyish attire making her seem more like a boy than a girl. "Beauty being handsome isn''t everything," he retorted with a smirk, his eyes lingering on her with a predatory gleam. "If he can''t even earn a decent living, what will happen to his future? He''ll starve to death and be a low-class insect forever." As he looked at her from top to bottom. Not only her, but his gaze also shifted to another girl in the group, a short-haired woman with striking beauty as well. "Well, being with a handsome man with a good personality is better than a rich, ugly wrench," Claire countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Being called ugly by a beautiful girl ignited a spark of anger within him. His face wasn''t truly handsome, just slightly above average. Thin brows framed sharp eyes, a slightly prominent nose, and short black hair. He was tall, well over six feet, with a muscular build that set him apart from the average man. Alexander was around 6 feet as well, but the guy was slightly taller. With no way to retaliate physically, he could only glare at Alexander, his disgust is palpable. "Are you just going to hide behind a woman? What a coward you are," he spat, his voice laced with aggression. He clenched his fist, attempting to intimidate Alexander with the threat of violence. Undeterred, Alexander met his gaze blankly, his face devoid of emotion. The skill ''Heart of Stone'' helped him quell the rising rage within him. But inside he really wants to cripple him right now. It was only Zya''s presence that held him back. If it was his past self, he would have caused trouble already. "Your mouth stinks," Alexander said, his face contorted in disgust, as if he had just smelled a pile of dung. "You bastard! What did you say?!" The man roared, his anger reaching a boiling point. He made a right hook, his fist came flying towards Alexander''s face. "Michael, what are you doing? Who gave you the guts to insult my friend?" Zya intervened, her voice laced with fury, halting his attack. His fist froze mid-air, inches from Alexander''s face. It was too close to dodge. Alexander stood there, completely still, not even flinching. He was motionless when the attack was coming at him. This filled the guy with a strange kind of disgust, "This guy was so easy to intimidate, it was almost offensive." he cursed at Alexander, only at his though. Thinking that he was so scared that he did not even respond from his attack. "You''re lucky this time," he grumbled, pulling his fist back and shoving his hands into his pockets acting cool. "I should say that to you," Alexander replied coldly, a smirk spreading across his face. "Why, you little¡ª" Michael didn''t finish his sentence as Zya shouted again. "Michael, if you don''t stop, I''m going to ask you to leave." Her eyes were as cold as her voice. Michael reluctantly held back his anger as he looked at Alexander, his looked was so cold that seemed ready to devour Alexander whole. If looks could kill, Alexander would have been dead. "I''m leaving for now, but this isn''t over," Michael said, threatening Alexander. He then left, leaving Zya behind. Alexander watched him go without a hint of fear. Even a gang wouldn''t stand a chance against him, what could a normal guy possibly do? "Sorry about that, Alexander. Please don''t mind his words. He''s just so arrogant and thinks he''s above everyone else," Zya said, pouting and looking adorably cute. Alexander didn''t let Michael''s words bother him. Ever since he gained this skill, he felt that insults that once fueled his anger had significantly less impact. However, the lingering urge to take down that guy remained, thankfully, he was able to hold it back. "Zya, don''t mention it. I don''t really care what he says since it''s just empty words," he said with a smile. Seeing this, Zya couldn''t help but smile at his carefree expression. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she remembered something important. "Alexander, I''m sorry, but I have to go or I''ll be late. I''ll call you to catch up on some things," she said, sounding reluctant but still waved her goodbye as she left. As Zya stepped out of the restaurant, she was filled with anger over Michael''s actions. Their reunion had been ruined because of him. Just then, her phone rang. She answered it as she speaks quickly. "Dad, I''m on my way now," Zya said into the phone. "Be quick, Zya. You know how important this day is," her father''s voice replied from the other end. Zya''s expression turned serious, "I know, Father. I''ll be home soon." She picked up her pace, leaving the mall behind. Meanwhile, Alexander, Sophie, and Claire also left the restaurant. Their appetites had been spoiled, and people around them were staring and whispering, making them the center of attention. As they walked through the mall''s hallway, Claire was still fuming, practically wanting to skin Michael alive. Alexander tried to calm her down, and after a while, they separated and headed home. Chapter 32 Is he your boyfriend? Alexander didn''t return to his manor instead, he went to his apartment, since he left the sets of Mountain Dew there. Upon arriving, he took the stairs and entered his room.After closing the door, he searched for the sets of Mountain Dew, and he saw it on the right side of the wall. They were then illuminated by spectral light as they disintegrated into particles. A panel then materialized before him. [Click ''Confirm'' to continue] The system panel said clicking the button, it then disappeared into his system storage. He was so stupid that he actually forgot he had a system storage on him. For the set of Mountain Dew, it was sent to a guy named ''FatMerchant69'' since tomorrow he was going to send it, so sending it early was still the same. Placing his hand on his jaw while looking down, he thought for a while, "I think I should buy some food and drinks tonight since it''s an unknown world. What happens if the animals aren''t edible for me?" he thought deeply. Alexander was truly curious and couldn''t wait to experience what world he was going to be transported to. But he knew he must not slack off and prepare himself for the better. He then sat cross-legged again on the bed, using the ''Vital Draw Technique'' to attract the surrounding energy. His focus was at maximum, and after an hour had passed and night came, he couldn''t help but furrow his brows. "The energy here is really thin. After cultivating for six hours, only two points were added, and for the rest, it''s just only one," he said in disappointment, his face etched with frustration. [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 28 Speed: 24 Defense: 25 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 61,525 Pesos Balance: 27,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Observing his stats and the remaining free points, he decided to let it stand by and wait for trouble to arise. Glancing at his earnings, which had reached 61,525 pesos, he couldn''t help but shake his head. It was like half a day of accumulation, and he had only earned that much. He was planning to continue and wait until 8 pm to stop, but his phone rang. The name was familiar, and the face on the profile was Zya''s. Answering the phone and placing it to his ear, he asked, "Yes, Zya, is there a problem?" he inquired, puzzled by her call at night. "Alexander, can you accompany me tonight?" she replied on the other end. Upon hearing this, Alexander agreed immediately, as it was nighttime, and he was concerned that something might happen to her. "Sure, where do you want us to meet?" he asked inquisitively. "I''m just outside Gaisano. I''ll be waiting for you here," she said warmly over the phone. "I''ll be there right away," Alexander replied. After the call ended, he searched for clothes in his drawer to change. Despite not having showered, he felt refreshed. Opting for a white shorts and a black T-shirt with the ''Oxygen'' logo, he left his room. After stepping out of his apartment, he took a ride in a minibus. The place was a bit far, as the ride would take the road over the bridge, this is the minibus pathway. "I really need to buy a car," Alexander sighed inwardly. Arriving across Gaisano, a supermall, he crossed the road and tried to find Zya. Finally, he spotted her standing in the center. She looks so elegant, draped in a sleek black dress that hugged her curves with understated grace. The dress featured a high neckline with a delicate choker, adding a touch of sophistication. The sweetheart neckline, subtly revealing a sliver of her decolletage, hinted at a playful sensuality beneath her demure exterior. The long sleeves, gathered at the shoulders, added a touch of romanticism, while the thigh-high slit on the skirt showcased her long, slender legs. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, framing a face that was both delicate and striking. Her eyes, a deep, mesmerizing shade of brown, held a quiet intensity that hinted at hidden depths. Her lips painted a soft shade of pink and her entire demeanor exuded an air of a quiet beauty and elegance. The dress, with its simple yet sophisticated design, accentuated her natural beauty and highlighted her graceful figure. She was a vision of understated elegance, a woman who commanded attention without needing to shout. Alexander was frozen for a moment, unable to help but see how beautiful she looked, all dressed up. He then called out to her. Zya, hearing the familiar voice, shifted slightly. When she saw Alexander, she arched a smile that felt like it was radiating with light. He was frozen yet again, wondering if the skill ''Heart of Stone'' was working or not. Seeing her awed expression, she couldn''t help but giggle at his silly expression and take pride in his beauty. "Sorry I''m late. The minibus took a detour, crossing two bridges," Alexander explained, scratching his back hair sheepishly. Zya just smiled and interlocked her arms with Alexander, feeling the soft skin of his. He couldn''t help but freeze, wondering what just happened. If his memory served him right, Zya wasn''t usually this touchy, but now she was interlocking with him, making him surprised by the intimacy. Suddenly, a car roared and stopped in front of them, as they were close to the road. It was a supercar, a Toyota GR Supra, rolled up. Its electric blue paint still gleamed despite a few subtle signs of wear, giving it a rugged, seasoned look. The car''s sharp, aggressive curves and low-slung stance gave it the appearance of a predator on the road, ready to pounce. Its black alloy wheels and carbon-fiber spoiler showed its raw speed and power it contained, while the roaring exhaust announced its arrival long before anyone saw it. The windows then lowered, and a familiar face appeared in Alexander''s view. It was none other than Michael, the guy who had insulted him back at the restaurant. He was wearing a formal suit, and his face was filled with a smile. But when he saw Zya interlocking her arms with Alexander, his gaze turned cold. "Not you, poor guy, again? Why are you here!" Michael spoke, starting to insult him again. Zya narrowed her brows and said coldly, "Michael, if you don''t let Alexander come, then I won''t come with you," she said indifferently. Michael couldn''t help but curse but had nothing to do but agree. So, he got out and opened the door in the front seat, but Zya just ignored him and opened the door for the back seat. She went inside and called for Alexander to sit beside her. Alexander followed suit, leaving Michael, the owner of the car, fuming. His eyes were red, as if he had been treated as a chauffeur in his own car. He swallowed his anger and entered the driver''s seat, driving away from the scene. Looking at the rearview mirror, he could see the two of them engaged in a cheerful conversation, completely disregarding his presence. "Let''s see how I can make you pay for ruining my chances," Michael thought coldly. Through the rearview mirror, he noticed Alexander''s eyes roaming around his car, making him have an arrogant smile from his face. "A poor person remains a poor person. Consider it an honor to ride in my car," he thought, emphasizing their difference in status. Unbeknownst to him, Alexander simply observed the car and noted its flaws. The paint had faint scratches and a couple of small dings on the body, suggesting it was overused. The leather seats had softened, displaying slight creases and a gentle patina. The digital dashboard glowed brightly, but some buttons showed signs of wear, indicating frequent use. After his observations, it became clear to Alexander that the car was pre-owned, likely a second-hand purchase. He then resumed his conversation with Zya, and eventually, they reached their destination. She then opened one door, while Alexander opened the other. They both stepped out of the car as Michael parked it. At the entrance, a large man in a black suit stood, adorned with black tattoos of a dragon on his neck that extended to his cheeks. Bald and muscular, resembling a WWE wrestler, his presence was even more intimidating due to his black skin tone. Michael handed him a card, which the man inspected before allowing the three of them to enter. Walking through the hallway, they found themselves in a KTV bar. After a brief walk, they reached a door. Upon opening it, they found seven people already inside. There were four men and three women inside. As they opened the door, the group smiled, indicating they had been waiting for them. However, they were surprised to see an additional, uninvited guest who was more handsome than anyone they had ever encountered. Despite his striking looks, the women lost interest upon noticing his casually dressed attire, leading to disappointed sighs. They had finally met a handsome man, only to realize he was not wealthy. "Michael, you''re finally here. Let''s start drinking now," a man with brown hair said with a smile. "Haha, I''m only late because I picked up Zya on the way," Michael responded. The man with brown hair looked at the new unfamiliar face and inquired, "Who''s the man you brought along?" scrutinizing Alexander from head to toe. "A poor guy, just pretend he was never here," Michael said, attempting to humiliate Alexander. Zya was displeased with his words but chose to introduce Alexander to the group, "This is my classmate since elementary, his name is Alexander," presenting him to the others. The group nodded in agreement, as they were reluctant to befriend someone that is poor, regardless of his good looks. Then a girl, around Zya''s age, approached her. "Zya, is he your boyfriend? If not, why did you invite him?" May asked, narrowing her eyes as she whispered into Zya''s ear. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "May, he''s my friend. Of course, I want to invite him to accompany me. I only accepted Michael''s invitation because you were pestering me to go, not because of him," Zya cheeks blushed, as she explained to her best friend. May, who had been her friend for years despite not attending the same school, had a preference for wealthy individuals. Zya could sense the disdain in her words when mentioning Alexander. "Zya, just a reminder, Michael is much better than your friend over there. He''s only handsome, but being handsome doesn''t make money. You have to consider that Michael is the best choice," May said to her. "I''ll keep that in mind," Zya responded, not caring at all. She just wanted her friend to shut up rather than arguing with her. Chapter 33 Being deaf can actually be a gift Seeing her gaze, which seemed indifferent to her words, May did not spoke anymore. Everyone then called for a gathering at the table.The place they were in right now were considered good, the walls are a deep blue, accented by a diamond-patterned wall with blue LED lighting. A long, plush sofa runs along the wall, inviting guests to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. The room is furnished with low coffee tables, perfect for drinks and snacks. A large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall displays a vibrant underwater scene, adding a touch of color to the otherwise dark space. All of them then sat on the sofa as a girl in uniform went inside their room, clearly a waitress, to deliver their drinks and snacks. Alexander was seated on the far-left part, with Zya beside him to keep him company, as she was the one who invited him. Each person had a glass cup, and they all poured drinks into them. "So, Alexander, you haven''t told me what your work is. Can you give me the honor of telling me?" Michael didn''t waste any time and target Alexander directly. Alexander glanced at the glass of wine in front of him but didn''t touch it. Because he wasn''t really a drinker. Hearing Michael''s question, he pursed his lips, aware that he was being deliberately targeted by the other party. "Actually, I work at a restaurant and also I''m a waiter," Alexander replied, meeting Michael''s gaze. The other people at the table were showing a disgusted expression on their faces, "How dare he sit at the same table as them with his low status?" But they kept this thoughts only to themselves. Alexander could see the disgust in their eyes, but he remained unfazed. Being a waiter was a job, and he didn''t see why it should be viewed with disdain. Michael chuckled at Alexander''s answer, but inside, he was cursing at him. "How dare a waiter try to snatch my woman and even dare to challenge me? With your status as a waiter, you even dare to talk back to me and ignore me?" he thought angrily. "Oh, a waiter, that''s really bad," Michael said smugly, taking a sip of the wine. "I heard that a waiter at a restaurant could only earn about 13,000 pesos per month. Hayss, Alexander, you should focus more on business to be more successful." he educated Alexander, like a grown man. "Do you see this wine? This is Opus One, it costs around 20,000 pesos per bottle. Be honored that you can drink this," Michael said arrogantly, expecting praise from his friend and yes, they didn''t disappointed him. "Wow, this bottle costs around 20,000 pesos, so very expensive," a girl in the group with heavy makeup exclaimed. "Big bro Michael, it''s really an honor for us to taste this wine for the first time in our lives," another person said, taking the glass of wine that had been poured for him. "Brother Michael is really rich, such a capable guy is really hard to find" May said full of compliment as she glanced at Zya, but her expression remained stoic. "Of course, of course, we''re friends, aren''t we?" he said, full of pride, he was really delighted. The Opus One wine is a bottle of elegance and simplicity. It has a tall, slender shape, made from dark, thick glass that gives off an air of luxury. The deep blue foil covering the top extends down the neck of the bottle, embossed with the signature "O" of Opus One, a mark of its prestige. At the center of the bottle, a minimalist white label features two intertwined profiles, symbolizing the collaboration between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Beneath the image, in elegant blue font, the name "Opus One" is written with the vintage year below it. May shifted her gaze towards Alexander, looking at him with disgust, as if he were a germ in her eyes. "Alexander, since Michael let us experience how this wine tastes, why don''t you pour wine for Michael to show your appreciation?" May said coldly, her smile a mask of malice. Alexander, hearing this, furrowed his brows and looked at her. From their earlier conversation between Zya and her, he could clearly hear her, even though she had just whispered it. His enhanced hearing made it possible. "Sorry, I don''t drink wine, and besides, doesn''t he have a pair of hands? Why doesn''t he pour himself if he''s so capable?" Alexander said calmly, meeting her gaze. Hearing Alexander''s words, many were angered, "How dare you, a poor waiter from a restaurant, have the nerve to decline May''s suggestion? Will you die by just pouring one glass for our big brother?" the guy said, glaring at Alexander. This was the same person who had asked Michael about Alexander earlier. The girl with heavy makeup also chimed in, "Yeah, you''re handsome, but you''re so full of yourself and so arrogant. If you weren''t with Zya, I would have kicked you right now," she said, her voice laced with venom, clearly wanting to hit Alexander. May was also dissatisfied and felt humiliated by Alexander''s words, "Hmph, what can your pride even do? Can it even help you earn money? Zya, are you not going to say anything about this?" she said, looking at Zya, expecting an answer. Zya frowned at their words. She was even more disappointed in her friend May. If only she hadn''t invited Alexander, he wouldn''t have been humiliated. "Alright, alright, stop now. Don''t let a poor guy ruin our drink," Michael said, shaking his hands, his face plastered with a fake smile. They continued their drinking session, and Alexander didn''t touch the wine; he truly wasn''t a drinker. "I''ll go to the bathroom first," May said to the others, leaving the room. Zya also drank some, but only one or two cups, as she wasn''t a heavy drinker and had a low tolerance. "Brother Michael, is it true that you''ve bought a new car?" the same guy with brown hair asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Hearing this, Michael knew it was his time to show off again. He didn''t waste any time in flaunting his wealth. "Yes, Bard, I''ve recently bought one. It''s a Toyota GR Supra, you know it cost me millions of my hard-earned money to buy. But a friend of mine gave me a discount since he treats me as a brother," he said, acting cool and showing off his connections. Bard, the guy with brown hair, looked at Michael with stars in his eyes and began to bootlick him. "Young master Michael is really capable. If only I had just a small fraction of your skills, I wouldn''t be this poor," he said, lamenting his current situation. And also changing his way of calling to brother to young master. The other girls had their eyes shining and couldn''t help but lament that he hadn''t pursued them. They were a little jealous of Zya for having a rich man pursuing her, but she didn''t even care. "Young master Michael is really capable and godly," another man said, showering him with praise. The rest of the people continued to give praise for him. Alexander couldn''t help but chuckle at this. He had clearly seen the car when he was inside, and it was old, almost like a second-hand car. It wouldn''t even reach millions if it were sold. This guy could really win an award for his bragging skills. Hearing Alexander''s chuckle, the people around the table quickly narrowed their eyes. Bard slammed his hand on the table, feeling displeased just by seeing this guy acting arrogant again even though he was so poor. "If you''re so capable, why don''t you try buying a car that costs millions?" Bard said coldly, baring his teeth. Alexander didn''t get angry. If he really wanted to, he could buy a car he liked with just one day of grinding. Hearing no response from Alexander, Bard could only scoff. Their favorability towards Alexander was now negative. Zya, feeling embarrassed, couldn''t help but lean in and whisper to Alexander''s ear, "Sorry, Alexander, for inviting you here. I didn''t know that they would act this aggressively towards you," she said sheepishly. She looked so cute and beautiful the way she looked at him. Alexander just smiled at her and replied without any care about their words, "Don''t worry, I''m fine," he whispered back into her ear. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Feeling his breath on her ear, Zya''s face turned red, and she lowered her head like a child. Her blush even reached all the way to her ears. Seeing this scene, Michael was so angry. How dare they act so lovey-dovey in front of him? "Alexander is working in the restaurant, really good? What about I recommend you to become a call center agent? You''re salary will be around 20,000-21,000 pesos per month if you want to," Michael said mockingly. He was mocking Alexander for mentioning he was working at a restaurant while pretending to offer him a job. It''s like acting as a saint and demon at the same time. Alexander couldn''t help but laugh at this. Even if there was no system that earned him money, Alexander wouldn''t accept his offer. His salary was 1,000 pesos per day, which was higher than any other job. It could earn him about 29,000-31,000 pesos every month. "No need, I love my current job," Alexander replied instantly, not even considering it. "Hmph, if you don''t want to, then it''s your loss. This is an opportunity, but you didn''t even bother to think twice about it," Michael snorted. "Young master Michael is already acting humbly towards you by offering you a job with a good salary, and you didn''t even think about it. No wonder you''re so poor," Bard said exasperatedly. Then there came the others'' insulting words towards him about being too prideful. Alexander just looked at them calmly, with disdain in his face. They were about to say more when suddenly the door opened, and May finally came back. There seemed to be something wrong with her. "May, are you okay?" Zya said, standing up and going to May, touching her cheeks. There was a red handprint in her face, and her face was full of fear while her hair was so haggard. "Don''t worry, Zya, I''m fine," May said, but the fear in her voice was vivid. Suddenly, the closed door was slammed opened, and a bunch of men with tattoos and big muscles came in. After they were inside, there was a fat middle-aged man with a red, beaten face that looked like it was slapped by a hard object. His right face was bleeding, and everyone wondered what had happened and who is this fat man. Chapter 34 Fate is really unpredictable? The fat man had a ferocious expression on his face as he came inside the room, accompanied by a total of seven big men in black suits.The atmosphere in the room began to turn hostile. May, seeing him, was scared. Her legs were shaking constantly, and she hid behind Zya. The others also stood up and came towards Zya and May to face these unreasonable people who seems to come to looked for trouble. The fat man seeing her his gaze was menacing as an infuriated buddha since his bald, with smile adorned his face, "You bitch you think you can escape? I just only want you to accompany me, but you have the nerve to slap me. I will show you what true slapping really is" his face was lewd, and his cold gaze is really scary to see. Zya was protecting May behind her, who was shaking. She asked May about what happened. May then recounted the events when she went out to go to the bathroom. "After I finished peeing and washed my hands, I was about to walk back when that fat guy stopped me and wanted me to accompany him to drink. Of course, I disagreed, but he held my hand, making hurting so I''d struggle to escape his clutches. So, I had no choice but to slap him in the face. But he retaliated and slapped me, so I picked up the vase in display that was nearest to me and smashed it into his face so I could escape. Zya, please help me," she said, her voice trembling with a tear in her eyes. Zya, hearing this, narrowed her eyes in anger clearly enraged about the people who hurt May. Her gaze lingered on them, full of coldness. Even though her best friend had a bad attitude, they had been friends for three years now. The others, hearing this, couldn''t help but frown. They didn''t know such things actually happened. The fat man, hearing this, didn''t care about their cold glares towards him. "Hey, you ugly fat man, how dare you bully our friend? Are you not afraid of the law?" Bard said coldly, he was fuming and it was livid on his face. The fat man just laughed, and even his big belly shook from his laughter. "Law? What law are you talking about? If you curse at me again, believe it or not, I will cripple you with my men over here," the fat man said menacingly, with a sly smile on his face. Bard, who was full of confidence just now, was now a little scared. He could only swallow what he was about to say again and stay silent. Just by seeing the big men beside the fat man, who wouldn''t be afraid? All of them were in a dilemma right now, afraid of getting beat up. But suddenly, Michael, who was behind them, looked at his classmates with a smile. Seeing his confident attitude, May and the rest were no longer scared and waited for him to fix the problem. He went forward and faced the fat man with no fear on his face. "Hello, sir, there seems to be a misunderstanding. My friends are at fault first, but can we let this problem bygones be bygones? To not make matters worse," he stated to them. The fat man looked at him as if seeing an idiot. "Kid, who do you think you are to talk to me face to face? Do you want to get a beating? If I smash your face with a vase and let the problem aside, aren''t you also going to lose face" he said coldly, lacing his words with threat. Michael frowned, wondering if this fat man didn''t know him, so he introduced himself. "Listen here, sir, My name is Michael Barocayo. I think you''ve already heard my name, right? So, can we just let this matter slide?" Michael said, full of pride, waiting for the fat man to retreat. The fat man snorted and looked at the fool who was acting like a clown in front of him. "Barocayo? What kind of family name is that? It sounds like a fucking broccoli. You''d better not involve yourself here, or I will smash that bottle of wine in your face. Making you hospitalized for a month," the fat man said, full of contempt, wondering where this kid got his courage from. Seeing that there was no effect, Zya, May, and the others were finally sensing a bit of dread. Michael was displeased, wondering if this fat man hadn''t heard of his name, so he spoke yet again. "I believe you''ve heard of my father. His name is Laxon Barocayo. He''s a businessman and very influential. I believe you''ve heard his name," Michael said with pride, mentioning his father. Hearing the name, the fat man sensed a little trouble, but he was just a low-class businessman in their circle of people, not a person to be wary about. Seeing his face, Michael knew that he must have heard of his father, since his father had a lot of connections and was also influential. The fat man just smiled and pursed his lips, "Do you even know who I am alright then I''ll tell you, I''m Bald Fury one of the four captains of the ''Black Serpent Gangs''. Tell me should I still be afraid?" He said looking at Michael eyes. The others, hearing this were terrified. How could they not know him? He was a ferocious and cruel person. There were a lot of rumors about his criminal record, like rape, killing, and drugs. But he was still roaming around the city like nothing ever happened. Even Michael was in a dilemma right now, since the problem was much harder than he thought. Alexander hearing this, couldn''t help but pursed his lips in amusement, "Fate is really unpredictable," he said inwardly as he inspected the fat man. The fat man just smiled expecting their reaction then compromised with Michael, "Since I know your father, I will let you all leave," he said with a smile. The others, hearing this were happy while sighing in relief. Finally, the danger was gone. Their idolization towards Michael increased drastically. "But, the two of them will stay," the fat man said, pointing at Zya and May. His gaze towards Zya was full of lust. He had already been eyeing her for a while now. Wondering how it would feel to pin this kind of teenage lady down. The fat man couldn''t help but drool, imagining that scenario. The others hearing this were stunned, and Michael couldn''t help but frown once again. "Sir, they are my friends. I can''t just leave them behind," Michael said, wanting to compromise again. This time the fat man was outraged he shouted, "If it weren''t for your father, I would have crippled all of you in this place right now. I''m giving you a chance. Leave and the problem will be gone or stay and get beat up. You choose," as he looked at him with a stern expression adorned on his face. Zya and May''s faces were solemn, afraid that they are really going to be left alone. After standing and contemplating for a while, Michael made up his choice. He looked at Zya and May resignedly. "Sorry, Zya, I can''t handle this problem anymore," he said, as he left the place bitterly. The others were also afraid of the trouble, so they left the place following Michael''s back. While they were walking to the exit of the door, Zya''s face was cold with a distant look. "Michael, you coward! Leaving a woman behind. Aren''t you afraid of retribution?" she shouted at him. Michael didn''t look behind and finally exited the place with the rest of his friends. Leaving only Zya and May in the room, but suddenly someone caught their eye on the sofa. A guy was sitting, looking at them with an emotionless expression. The fat man wondered where this kid came from. "Hey, kid, since you''ve stayed, I will not let my word down or I''ll be called a person who does not keep his promise. I''m going to let my men beat you into a pulp until you''re hospitalized," he said to Alexander with a smile on his face. Hearing his words, May and Zya looked behind and they saw Alexander, who then stood up in his seat and stood in front of them, blocking them from the danger. Zya''s face was solemn and worried, seeing Alexander didn''t leave. She was afraid that he might get involved, but actually, he was already involved in the trouble since the fat man had already ordered someone to teach him a lesson. "Don''t worry, Zya. As long as I''m here, there''s not an ounce of your hair that will be touched," he said seriously. Zya, after hearing his words, couldn''t help but sense a bit of security, but she was still worried. The fat man, seeing how brave he was, couldn''t help but laugh, thinking if he was stupid or simply ignorant. "Kid, if you want to do the plot of saving the beauty, I''ll let one of my men wake you from your dreams," the fat man said as the man in the black suit went forward. He cracked his knuckles, and his expression was grinning from ear to ear. With a look of pity and sarcasm on it. When he was close, he threw a direct punch with full force, wanting to knock out Alexander in one blow. Zya and May, seeing this, their faces were pale as white, and Zya couldn''t help but close her eyes. Alexander just arched a smile, and before the fist came, Alexander just made a casual kick with no special effect. When it hit the man in the stomach, he flew back like a broken kite, hitting the door with his back. But because of the force, the door was broken, and he and the door behind him flew until there was a wall stopping his progress. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He fell down with his face on the floor without any sign of consciousness. The fat man and his other men, seeing this, were bewildered, and now their faces were full of fear. The fat man even sensed a feeling of dread from the young man''s attack. Zya and May were surprised by Alexander''s power. With just one casual kick, he flew off like a cannonball without any sign of stopping. Zya''s brows fluttered as she gazed at Alexander, filled with curiosity. "Is Alexander one of those people?" she said inwardly, looking at Alexander''s figure. "Do you still want to continue? If you want to, I can entertain you for as long as you want to play," he said with a playful smile as he looked at the fat man. Chapter 35 Its time Alexander smiled at them, but behind that smile was chilling coldness. His gaze terrified the fat man, and even the others in black suits were visibly shaken.This wasn''t an ordinary person, he seemed more like a superhuman, they though in their mind. After all, who could kick a man bigger than himself so hard that he flew across the room and shattered the door? The fat man''s sweat flowed like a river as he looked at Alexander, but seeing that he still had six men left, he regained some of his composure. "Don''t hesitate! He''s alone, and there are six of you. Draw your weapons and kill that kid!" the fat man commanded, trying to mask his fear by shouting loudly as he pointed at Alexander. The men realized that their big bro was right, Alexander was just one person, while they had numbers on their side. They reached into their pockets, pulling out a folding knife, and slowly began to surround Alexander, glaring at him with killing intent. Alexander smirked in amusement as he watched their movements. He then felt a gentle tug on the back of his clothes. It was Zya, looking at him with deep concern. Alexander gave him a reassuring smile, silently telling him not to worry since he was here. But Zya couldn''t calm down. Just moments ago, the men were unarmed, but now they held knives, making the situation far more dangerous. "Kid, let me tell you, the Black Serpent Gang isn''t a group you can just mess with," the fat man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. Three of the gang members, emboldened by their numbers, launched their attack. The man at the front, his eyes burning with malice, as he aimed a deadly thrust at Alexander''s heart. His intent was clear, he wanted Alexander dead. But Alexander was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he intercepted the knife with just two fingers, stopping it inches from his chest. The man in black suite was stunned by the ease from which Alexander deflected his attack, he tried to pull back his weapon, but it wouldn''t budge. Alexander seized this opportunity, raising his palm with lightning speed. A thunderous slap echoed through the room as his hand connected with the man''s cheek. The force of the blow sent the attacker reeling backward, his face contorted in pain. The slap was like a drum being pounded by a giant drumstick, as the sound echoing through the room. The man''s cheek caved in, as his teeth flying out in a bloody spray. His eyes rolled back without any sign of consciousness, as he was flung through the air. He slammed into the wall, shattering a string of LED lights with a sickening crunch. Sparks flew as the electricity shorted out. The other two men, seeing their comrade''s fate, lunged at Alexander, their knives aimed for his throat. But Alexander was too quick. He lashed out with a lightning-fast punch, connecting with both men''s faces simultaneously. Their faces were shattered, and their noses was crushed and twisted. If there was an X-ray it would likely reveal their broken bones beneath the mangled flesh. They flew through the air like ragdolls, passing beside the fat man, and crashing against the wall at the same time as the walls where they were hit shook from the impact. They then lay motionless, unconscious and defeated. The fat man was visibly terrified, realizing the gravity of the situation he had instigated by provoking such a formidable opponent. The three men was hesitating right now, unsure whether to act or not, knowing that Alexander could swiftly resolve the conflict in a matter of seconds. Like seriously, he dealt with their companions earlier in just a matter of five seconds. Who are they to go and confront this devil, they don''t have five lives. Amidst the chaos with the violent sounds reverberating through the room, a man in a formal suit, adorned with glasses and of a slight build, entered with an expression of anger. "Who dares to stir trouble in our ''Black Serpent Gang'' territory?" he thundered, his gaze piercing as he looked at the fat man. "Pyro, who has the nerve to cause trouble here? Does he still want to live?" he seethed with rage, his gaze locked onto the trembling figure of Pyro. Pyro, unable to meet the furious man''s eyes, trembled visibly, his fear is palpable and livid. With a shaky hand, Pyro pointed towards a figure in the room. The man then strode forward, his anger simmering as he laid eyes on the source of the disturbance. But after seeing the person, his eyes twitched. "How did this kid end up here?" he cursed silently, taken aback by the unexpected presence of the youth. Alexander who was the center of this was stunned, "Didn''t I just kick some of his subordinates ass? why are they treating him with respect right now? Being violent is actually a great way to scare the opponent in submission" he though inwardly. Zya and May just hid behind Alexander, watching the entire situation unfold. "Do you know me?" Alexander said, looking at his face. Ethan answered instantly, "Of course we know you, Mr. Alexander. Please forgive my subordinates for causing trouble. I will try to punish them after this for offending you," he said with his hand clasped, showing Alexander his broken smile. Alexander just snorted, so he walked, planning to leave while holding Zya''s soft hand. Being held by him, Zya couldn''t help but feel that she was in the safest place in the world. "You''d better control your subordinates, or I will do it myself," Alexander said as he passed by him. His voice was cold clearly a threat. Ethan formed some black lines on his forehead as he looked back at Alexander, still having that ugly smile on his face. "Yes, yes, I will try and manage my subordinates after this," he said in a respectful tone, afraid to offend Alexander. Hearing his reply, Alexander just scoffed and left the place through the door and finally exited the bar. When his figure was finally gone, Ethan, whose face still had a smile, turned ferocious as a mad lion. "Fuck! fuck! fuck! that kid thinks he''s so good, huh? Let me see how we''ll deal with you," he said, cursing Alexander as he picked up the wine bottle on the table and smashed it to relieve his anger. He was seething with anger, a controlled but with an intense anger, with his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Pyro and the rest couldn''t help but calm him down. After he was calmed, his eyes were still red from the anger and humiliation. "Big brother, are we going to take revenge?" Pyro said, even though he was afraid, but the humiliation the Black Serpent Gang suffered was horrendous. "Don''t worry, the boss had already planned this out, but since I just saw how strong he is, I think there might be some revisions for the plan," Ethan said gloomily. Alexander, Zya, and May were walking in the side road. When the two finally looked back and saw that they were not being followed, the two could finally breathe. "Alexander, thank you very much for standing up for us in there. If it weren''t for you, we would have been..." Zya said but stopped. She was fearful from just imagining it. May, who was holding Zya''s hands, let go and looked at Alexander. The three of them then stopped in their tracks. "Alexander, thank you very much for saving my life as well. It was my fault in the first place, and the two of you got involved. I''m very sorry for making trouble for you earlier," she said, feeling regretful for what she did. "Don''t mention it. You''re Zya''s friend," Alexander said, shaking his hand to not mind the past. "So if I''m not Zya''s friend, you will actually not care since what I did is really inhumane," May said as she sighed, feeling remorseful from what she had done to humiliate Alexander. Alexander then wanted to assist them to go home, but Zya had already called her father, sending their driver. He waited with them to make sure no unexpected things would happen. After the driver arrived, they bade their farewell, and Alexander also went home. This time he decided to sleep in his manor. By stopping a taxi, he took a ride in the direction to ''Summit Heights''. After arriving at the entrance of the gate in ''Summit Heights'', the security guard stopped the vehicle. After Kent saw it was Alexander, he opened the gate to let car in. The driver of the taxi was awed and surprised to see this seemingly young man, who he thought is a normal person was actually a rich person in disguise. When it arrived just outside the gate of his manor, he paid like 1,000 Pesos. Then the driver said his thanks, then left the place. The security guard that was specifically assigned to his manor greeted him and opened the gate. After Alexander was inside, he walked his way to his room and took a shower. After wearing his clothes, he did not waste his time and started cultivating using the ''Vital Draw Technique''. Morning passed, and Alexander felt refreshed. He took a shower and went to work for today since it was Monday. As he was walking the path down towards the entrance gate, a Porsche passed by him. Unknown to him, a woman was watching him from a rearview mirror. She couldn''t help but think, "Did someone buy a house? He seems to be so young, and that path where he came down is the only Manor that has been unoccupied for years," she said, but she did not ponder about it and just left the place. Alexander then asked Kent to take him for a ride just below the mountain to take a taxi, but Kent said that he could drive him to his destination, but he disagreed. After taking a ride, he also gave him a tip and stopped a taxi then worked for the day. He served some guests, had fun with Claire, and he also did not see Sophie because she always left when it was time for her tutor. Just like that, morning passed, and tonight is the night, but before that, a message popped up. [FatMerchant69: I''m sorry, ''AlexanderTheGrate.'' I''ve been so busy these 1 day that I missed your message. As compensation, I''ll add another 500 silver coins.] FatMerchant69 sent the message, and soon after, Alexander received 4,700 silver coins. [The Host has received a payment from user ''FatMerchant69'' of 4,700 silver coins. Converting to your currency, you''ve received ''4,700,000 pesos.''] Alexander was surprised and thrilled at the same time, he had just made millions from another transaction. "That guy is seriously loaded with money," he cursed in excitement. "System show me my Status" [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 31 Speed: 26 Defense: 29 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] His status increased after cultivating in that one night, and now he was ready. Suddenly a message panel popped up. [Mission: Saved the Village] [Will be starting in 5, 4, 3, 2... 1] The system counted, then Alexander was illuminated by light, and his face that was serious and excited about what it feels like to go to another world. The he was gone from his room. Chapter 36 Otherworld As he was slowly swallowed by the light, Alexander found himself in another place. Observing his surroundings, he was surrounded by trees. It was dark since when he looked up, he saw the moon that was in full shape.This made him ponder and also wonder, "Am I really in another world? Why does it seem like this is just a forest, and the terrain and structures of the earth are somehow the same as this?" as he wandered his gaze, trying to find something unique. Suddenly, the system sounded, stopping his mind from wandering about things. [Welcome to the ''Mistveil Island'' located at the 3,378th realm. To assist the Host for this mission, you have been blessed with a title, ''Traveller''] Explore more adventures at empire [Title: Traveller Description: This title is granted to the Host only since you possess the ability to travel between realms. It is a unique title, with only one holder across all realms. The bearer of this title gains the ability to understand and communicate in any language, eliminating any language barriers when interacting with others.] Reading this, he felt good somehow. Since he got a good beginners pack to assist him, but there seems to be no changes in him or even like a wave of memory came flooding on him. Thinking that it must not be activated yet, so he put it aside for now. "Well, that was pretty convenient," Alexander thought inwardly. Suddenly, his ears perked up as he shifted his gaze behind him. The place where he was looking right now is surrounded by trees, and it was so dark that his vision can''t pierce it. Then suddenly, a rustle sounded again from the bushes, making him alert. It circled around him, wondering what it was as he kept locking his gaze from where he was hearing the moving sound is. As the sound became closer and louder, suddenly the bush shook, and Alexander was ready. Then the unknown animal puffed out. It was a white rabbit with its eyes glowing red. As it sniffed in a cute way in front of him, Alexander just looked at its actions, couldn''t help but be in awe of how cute and adorable it is. But its size made Alexander think twice before touching it. Since its size is 2x bigger than a normal rabbit, even its claws were sharp as a blade, making him seem more like a predator than a herbivore. Suddenly, its eyes gazed at Alexander, and suddenly, he felt his danger sense shook while looking at its eyes. The rabbit then just took a step back a little, then sprung its body up. It was fast as it flew through the air with its claws up, wanting to pierce Alexander. Alexander, who was prepared for any abnormality, took a sidestepped, dodging the incoming attack as it passed by beside him. Their eyes connected with each other as it flew past him. After landing, it hopped again in Alexander''s direction. It was really fast, like a cheetah in full speed, but Alexander was much faster since he was dodging it with ease. When the rabbit hopped again, aiming for his chest, Alexander decided to counterattack. When it was close, he just kicked it in its jaw using his knee. A heart-stopping crunch echoed through the air as the rabbit''s teeth shattered like glass. Its body flew upward in a violent arc, with its bones breaking with a sickening snap. As it landed on the ground and was about to move, Alexander moved in lightning speed, stomping its chest. With a strong force, his feet caved in to the rabbit''s body, making it puke with blood from its mouth and nose, and another sound of broken bones and flesh was heard. The rabbit could not handle the pain anymore, finally it stopped moving, clearly lifeless on the ground. Alexander just looked at this with a cold expression, but his hands were trembling, but inside him, his emotion was calm. "So, this is actually the true purposed of this. Even though this is my first time killing a living animal, it somehow made me feel I''m used to it," Alexander thought inwardly as he looked at his shaking hands. He slowly turned them into a fist, and finally he calmed down, as he looked at the dead rabbit in front of him. [You just killed a ''Loomhopper''. You''ve gained 9 exp.] Hearing this, his emotion from killing the rabbit that was still lingering inside his heart vanished. "There''s actually such a thing, system why did you not tell me?" he cursed inwardly. [Host, please don''t blame the system. Since It''s not my fault you''re so stupid. Don''t you read a lot of novels and animes that leveled up by killing beasts and animals? Didn''t this idea even come to your head just once?] The system replied, after hearing his cursing word inside his mind. Alexander, hearing this, couldn''t help but be embarrassed. The system was right. He wasn''t exploring the capabilities of the system, making him not know that it actually had this function. [Congratulations for killing your first beast in the other world, you have unlocked the ''Catalogue'', a detailed archive of creatures, plants, and items.] [Catalogue Description: This is a hidden system function, unlocked only after meeting a specific requirements. After defeating a beast or gathering plants and items, the Catalogue will automatically scan and appraise them, revealing their skills, effects, and other properties.] Then above the buttons in the system panel, another button was added, and the name ''Catalogue'' was etched on it. Alexander was really surprised that he actually unlocked one of the system''s new functions. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, the system panel and a holographic light began to scan the dead rabbit. After just a few seconds, it was added to the catalogue, and it was recorded in the book. which the cover is name ''3,378th Archive''. After clicking the book with its name on it in the panel, there are three buttons once again: Beast, Plant, and Items. Of course, he clicked Beast. Then he saw there was one record, and it was the image of the ''Loomhopper''. Clicking it, the information about the beast he just killed appeared in front of him. [Loomhopper Description: Don''t be deceived by its adorable and cute appearance, cause this beast is actually quite dangerous. While its physical strength is low, its speed and senses are exceptionally sharp, allowing it to hear a mosquito from 30 meters away from its current location depending on their level. You can anticipate its attack when it begins to back off slightly before springing toward its opponent, catching them off guard. The beast''s level is indicated by the color of its eyes: red represents the lowest tier, yellow indicates the second strongest, and the most formidable is the Loomhopper, which possesses a striking blue eyes and a horn on its head. It stands between 5 to 10 meters tall and boast a power level of 50 or above.] Reading this, Alexander was flabbergasted. The one he slayed is actually the weakest, but its speed is already beyond normal, and for the strongest rabbit, I mean Loomhopper, is actually around level 50 or above. Alexander thought with an impending doom on where he was standing right now is actually dangerous. "I''m still currently at level 4, and now there''s a level 50 beast that is wandering this forest. Are you serious?" he furrowed his brows while, cursing inwardly. But suddenly, there''s another rustling sound, and about six beasts jumped from the bush and came into his view. It has gray fur, sharp teeth, and its eyes were menacing as it could be. Chapter 37 Unlocking something new Discover exclusive content at empireAlexander, who was cornered, racked his brains when suddenly the leader of the pack of wolves pounced on him. It rushes forward, its speed was fast as it opened its jaws again with excitement on its face. Seeing this, Alexander could not help but find this chance to counterattack. As the face of the wolf was closing on him, Alexander decided to confront it. When it was within range, Alexander held its opened jaw with all his strength. His back was now connected to the tree, as he held its mouth from the lower and upper part. "System add all the free points in strength," Alexander commanded inwardly. [Affirmative Host] Then he suddenly felt an increase in power. The wolf, who was grinning from ear to ear, as he increased his power into its bite force. But suddenly, he felt that his opponent seems to become stronger. He saw that the human in front of him was looking at him with a malicious grin on its face, a forbidding doom came washing within him. Its fur stood up on its end as he felt his mouth was being forced to widen. The wolf struggled and wanted to escape, but Alexander did not let him escape. His companions behind him wanted to help, but when they pounced on Alexander, he just snorted and kicked the two wolves in the face, making them roll back on the ground. Alexander looked at the wolf in front of him, meeting its eyes. It was filled with fear as he looked at Alexander. "You could have won if you weren''t so arrogant. As the leader of this group, you made the wrong decision to attack me alone," Alexander said, his voice dripping with wrath, his blue eyes ablaze with murderous intent. His companions behind him wanted to help, but they can''t stop Alexander, whose eyes are full of madness, and they are too weak to fight the human in front of him and saved their leader. Because during their attack earlier, their leader is the one who came to save them whenever Alexander wanted to counterattack. Making Alexander to retreat, but now that their leader is captured, it''s hard for them to have a confrontation towards Alexander. He then gripped the wolf''s massive jaw, digging his fingers into its flesh until blood began to drip down to his elbows. He carried it upwards, making the wolf struggle when he felt his feet are not on the ground anymore. With a fierce expression, Alexander applied more force, stretching the jaw open in the opposite direction. With the sound of flesh being teared and the wolf''s howl in pain, the wolf can''t do anything but let Alexander do his thing, it was fully stretched as blood began to spew. When it was fully stretched the wolf stop his struggle, feeling no movement Alexander throw its body making it fall on the ground as it shook. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 202 exp.] Hearing this and knowing what kind of animal it is, Alexander then moved his gaze towards the remaining saberwolves. Who are looking at him full of fear, they step back when they sensed his gaze and its lustfulness to kill. Seeing this, Alexander tightened his brows and rushed towards them. Since they planned to kill him in the first place, killing them is also the right choice, he thought inwardly. The wolves, seeing him rushing forward, turned their backs, which is a grave mistake. Before they could even run, Alexander stomped the first saberwolf with his foot. The power within his leg was strong because when it hit the wolves'' back, it pinned him down on the ground. It even caved in as cracks formed on the ground. Seeing another companion in front of them die in just a few seconds, they were scared shitless. The human in front of them is so ruthless and strong, just like a devil itself. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 89 exp.] [You just leveled up.] Alexander did not put his attention on the system announcement and rushed to rest. When he appeared to the second one, he kicked it with full force as it whistled through the air. He hit its head, which broke its skull and damaged its brain, unaliving it. He then appeared to the rest in the speed of light, they even tried to struggle but how can their strength be able to match Alexander that is like a grim reaper killing them one by one. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 78 exp.] [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 82 exp.] [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 79 exp.] [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 81 exp.] When only one remaining, this is the first time for the predator, the hunter of the night, felt true fear, seeing Alexander''s menacing eyes. It was trembling in fear as its senses screamed to escape and flee, but it seems to be frozen in its place. Alexander then teleported in front of the wolf, holding it by its neck. The saberwolf struggled as it howled in pain. But Alexander, who was filled with coldness, looked at him with the smile of a devil, seeming like he was enjoying it. He then strengthened his grip as a snapping sound was heard. Alexander just broke its neck. The saberwolf could only look at the human who killed him without any challenge at all. Then finally, he eliminated all of the saberwolves. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 89 exp.] [You just level up.] [Congratulations for reaching level 5 Host, to enhance the host ability, you have unlocked new attributes: Agility, Intelligence, and Dexterity.] [Intelligence: The ability to think critically, solve problems, and understand complex concepts like cultivation techniques or magic. A max Intelligence score allows the host to plan ahead in battle, solve intricate puzzles, or comprehend techniques or skills much faster. Dexterity: The precision and control of fine movements improving its accuracy, such as wielding delicate weapons, crafting, or even skills related to aiming, such as shooting or throwing. High Dexterity enables the Host to be nimble with their hands, execute flawless techniques, and react with precision in high-pressure situations. Agility: measures how quickly and smoothly a person can move, dodge, and react in combat or tricky situations. High Agility can dodge attacks with ease, perform acrobatic feats, and react quickly to unexpected threats. Reading this, he couldn''t help but feel nimble all of a sudden, and even the flexibility of his movement seems to have improved. For his intelligence, there seems to be no problem, since he was smart in the first place. [Yeah right] The system responded sarcastically, hearing his inside thoughts. Then it scanned the saberwolf in front of him, so Alexander can take a look of its information. [Scanning complete] Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Saberwolf Description: A beast in the forest known for its great hunting skills and teamwork when hunting prey. This beast was not a problem if they were alone, but if they are in a group, it will be a disaster. This beast split up from their pack to hunt more food. Whenever one of the group died, they received a signal using their bloodline, ''Bloodflare Kin'', which stimulates their blood and can use this to locate the location of the dead body and avenge their kind. If a person would have killed a whole group, he must escape or it will be too late, since they are everywhere in the forest.] Alexander, reading the information was stupefied, "There''s actually such a thing," he twitched his lips with his jaw clenched, while observing his surroundings. That''s when he heard a rustle and a lot of footsteps from all directions, making his eyes flutter. He knew that he can''t escape now, since they have already surrounded him from all directions. He has been standing here for about 15 minutes now, giving its pack a good amount of time to already surround him. Then Alexander, who''s in the center, was encircled by a lot of saberwolves. He was like a vegetable on a chopping board, ready to be devoured at any moment. He felt his scalp went numb, and the hair on his body stood. Alexander had no confidence if he can survive this, since back in his world, there were only humans that can''t let him feel what true danger is. But this world made him realize how weak he is in front of the so-called danger, since danger is everywhere in this world. But even though he was really scared, a smile could not help but spread across his face. Alexander didn''t know why is this happening, but he felt that the more he was in danger, the happier he was, not knowing the reason why. When he killed the Loomhopper, he felt really bad and guilty, but his personality seems to shift, a massive turn he could not help but want to experience the feeling of killing again. "System, add all of my free points to Agility," Alexander mumbled in a low voice as he took a stance. He felt that agility is a great choice, since it can improve his ability to move fluidly and enhance his flexibility to dodge their attacks. Since in front of him were a lot of saberwolves that filled the place. There are even red glowing eyes in the dark that their gaze is only at him. It was uncountable and must be around 100 or even above than that. "Come," Alexander shouted with a taunt as he leaped forward. This time he will test his endurance and skills, since dying will not really kill him, so this made him be able to act unrestrained. The saberwolves, seeing his movement, rushed at him in all directions. It''s like a swarm of big mosquitoes going after him. Chapter 38 The figth that lasted until tomorrow The saberwolves circled him, their glowing red eyes fixated on Alexander. Their snarls filled the air, and he could feel the tension rising. There had to be a hundred of them, their dark forms moving like shadows in the night, closing in on him. He clenched his fists, feeling the pulse of adrenaline shoot through his body. His heart raced, but the thrill of the fight washed away any fear."System, add all of my free points to Agility," Alexander muttered. His body responded immediately, his movements becoming sharper and faster. But agility alone wouldn''t be enough. He''d need to rely on his skill, ''Serpent''s Coil'', to survive the onslaught. With a taunting grin, Alexander shouted, "Come!" His voice echoed through the forest as the wolves charged at him from all sides. The first wolf lunged, its claws aiming at his chest. Alexander reacted instinctively, sidestepping just in time, his body moving with great fluidity. He spun around the beast''s large frame, his arms coiling around its neck like a serpent. With a quick twist, he locked the wolf in place, immobilizing it. The beast thrashed and snapped its jaws in frustration, but Alexander''s grip was unyielding. With a powerful jerk, he slammed the wolf to the ground, its body hitting the earth with a dull thud. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 62 EXP.] Alexander noticed the drop in experience points after his recent level-up, but there was no time to dwell on it. He quickly turned off the notifications, switching them to silent mode. Before he could catch his breath, three more wolves had already lunged at him. He ducked, narrowly avoiding a set of snapping jaws, and twisted his body to the side. His hands shot out like a striking viper, ensnaring another wolf by its hind leg. Using its momentum, he swung the beast into the others, knocking them off balance. Another wolf leaped toward him, with its massive form casting a shadow over him. With quick reflexes, Alexander rolled beneath it, letting the beast sail harmlessly over him. As it landed, he leaped up, coiling his arms around its torso and locking it like how a serpent caught its prey. The wolf snarled and thrashed, but Alexander''s grip was like iron. He twisted his body, using the technique to choke the air out of the beast, and with a final push, threw it to the ground. His body was moving fast, but the wolves weren''t slowing down. More of them came their numbers were overwhelming. Alexander ducked and weaved between their strikes, narrowly avoiding claws and fangs. His Agility allowed him to dance around their attacks, but he was tiring, and the wolves were relentless. Another wolf lunged from his left, and Alexander spun on his heel, catching it mid-air. His arms wrapped around its neck in a swift, fluid motion, the Serpent''s Coil technique flowing naturally through his muscles. He twisted, using the wolf''s own weight to slam it into the ground, the impact shaking the earth beneath him. But before he could even catch his breath another again, another wolf was already charging. He felt a sharp pain shoot up his leg as a wolf''s claws raked across his thigh. Alexander winced as he stumbled back. His Agility allowed him to stay on his feet, but the wound was deep passing his defense, blood trickling down his leg. He clenched his jaw, refusing to let the pain slow him down. Panting, he backed up against a tree, momentarily surrounded. The wolves, sensing his weakness, circled him, their snarls growing louder. Alexander''s muscles ached, his breaths shallow and ragged, but he wasn''t done yet. He couldn''t be. "This is just the beginning" he roared. With a surge of adrenaline, he charged forward, meeting the wolves head-on. His movements were a blur as he ducked under their claws and wrapped his arms around the neck of the largest wolf in the pack. With his technique by using his technique again, his body twisting and coiling like a snake as he immobilized the beast, tearing the joints connecting its head and body, until it fell limp. But the rest of the pack wasn''t waiting. Another wolf pounced on him from behind, its claws digging into his back. Alexander gasped in pain, but with a swift roll, he dislodged the wolf and held its long big arms disabling it. His boot slammed into the saber wolf''s gut, a sound like a cracked ribcage echoing through the clearing. The beast let out a guttural roar, its eyes burning with pain, its legs buckling under the force of the blow. It flew like a bullet hitting the tree bark. He was panting heavily now, his body starting to slow down from exhaustion. His Agility gave him the speed to dodge, but the sheer number of wolves was wearing him down. They weren''t just fast, they were relentless. His muscles were sore, his reflexes growing duller by the second. But even so, Alexander grinned. "Come on," he growled with a wide smile on his face, his voice barely above a whisper as he stared down the remaining wolves. His body ached, blood dripped from his wounds, but he wasn''t backing down. The saberwolves charged again, but this time, Alexander was ready. He braced himself for the onslaught, but luck was on his side as a notification flashed before him. [You have leveled up.] Instantly, his injuries began to heal, restoring 50% of his health and replenishing half of his energy. His strength surged, and as a final blessing, a new title appeared in his system. [After slaying multiple saberwolves, you''ve acquired the title. ''Saberwolf Slayer.''] [Title: Saberwolf Slayer Description: +15% increased damage against saberwolves and wolf-type beasts.] Alexander quickly scanned the effects of his new title before pouncing on the remaining saberwolves. As the first wolf came into range, he unleashed a powerful palm strike, crushing its skull and forcing its head to fold into its body. Blood sprayed as the wolf''s corpse flew like a cannonball, crashing into its packmates. More wolves lunged at him, but Alexander moved like a god of war, effortlessly countering each attack with precise and deadly force. Alexander shaped his fingers like a blade and thrust them into the stomach of the oncoming wolf. It let out a pained growl as he swiftly followed up with a powerful kick, sending the beast tumbling like a rolling tire. He remained rooted to his spot, hands moving with deadly precision. Each strike brought down another beast, and slowly, their lifeless bodies began to pile up around him, rising until they covered half of his frame. Alexander hadn''t run out of energy, thanks to the continuous leveling up from killing the saberwolves. However, that didn''t mean he was unscathed. His back was covered in claw marks, deep enough to be hard to heal. At one point, a wolf even sank its teeth into his neck, but thanks to his boosted defense, the bite didn''t pierce through. Still, it left a red mark that throbbed with pain. With a grimace, Alexander gripped the saberwolf by the forehead, his fingers digging deep into its skull until they punctured a hole, killing it instantly. His body was drenched in blood, his eyes glowing cold and red. The grin on his face widened with every kill, while his killing intent surged like a tidal wave, spreading over a 20-meter radius. The saberwolves could feel the human before them growing more terrifying with every passing moment. He had already slaughtered nearly a hundred of their kind, yet he showed no signs of slowing down. Their courage began to waver. But as the bodies of their fallen kind littered the ground, their fear was overtaken by a burning sense of pride and the thirst for revenge. With deep fury, they charged at Alexander, who stood like a god of death, annihilating their fellow kin with every sweep of his relentless attacks. "Hahaha! Come, you beasts! Kill me if you can!" Alexander roared into the forest, laughing madly as he fought for his life. He couldn''t quite grasp what he was feeling, it is an insatiable thirst for blood, a rising tide of murderous intent with every saberwolf he slaughtered. Each kill only fueled the fire within him. Crushing their skulls under his boot, tearing their hearts from their chests in gruesome displays of violence, it was very exhilarating. His killing intent thickened with every strike, becoming so dense it was almost palpable in the air. Around him, the lifeless bodies of the saberwolves piled higher and higher, until they formed a grotesque mountain of death. [Warning: The Host''s desire for bloodshed is increasing...] [You have acquried a new skill, ''Berserker Instict''] [Skill: Berserker Instinct [First Tier] S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Description: As your lust for killing rises, your strength increases by 10% -50%, while nearby enemies can sense your bloodthirst, making weaker foes hesitate or flee. But at the cost of clarity and control. Prolonged combat will lead to a frenzy state, where distinguishing friend from foe becomes difficult.] His killing intent spread outwards, enveloping a radius of at least 50 meters. Any saberwolf that entered this range trembled in fear, their eyes were wide with terror as they gazed upon Alexander, who appeared to them like a merciless butcher. Continue your saga on empire Driven by vengeance, they charged at him regardless, but their courage was waning. With each passing moment, their momentum faded, turning them into mere sheep delivering themselves to the wolf. Alexander who was grinning and laughing, was lost in an absolute frenzy. He was completely out of control, and his killing intent thickened and intensified with each passing moment of his rampage. The saberwolves, once driven by revenge, were now fully terrified, the fire of their vengeance flickered and dimmed. They looked at Alexander as if he were a god, wanting nothing more than to flee. But Alexander, smiling like a devil, had transformed into the hunter, pursuing them one by one. His speed surged beyond anything he had shown before, and his strength had drastically improved. When he struck a fleeing saberwolf at the waist, it flew through the air, crashing into a tree with such force that it snapped upon impact. "Ahhh!" he shouted as his killing intent surged, expanding to cover a radius of at least 100 meters. Many saberwolves couldn''t withstand this heavy pressure, as they fainted on the ground, leaving Alexander to decapacitate them effortlessly. Just then, a ray of sunlight pierced through the forest canopy, illuminating the scene. Alexander was revealed, seated atop a mountain of corpses. His blue pupils glowed red, though they gradually began to shift back to their original hue, signaling a flicker of control returning to his actions. The light of the sun shone on his face that was filled with blood, even his hair was draped with red making it look like crimson blood. Alexander could not help but balled his fist from his actions. "That skill is really dangerous; it felt like I wasn''t myself anymore," Alexander murmured, recalling the cruelty that had consumed him during that time. "Is this the real me?" he questioned, gazing upward as if addressing his own inner demons. With an unwavering breath, he opened the skill''s interface, eager to understand its effects. He knew he had to regain control before losing himself completely. Chapter 39 Passive investment Hey everyone! I''m so sorry for the delay in updates. I''ve been under the weather recently, but I''m feeling much better now and ready to get back to writing. Expect 2-3 new chapters starting tomorrow!-- Author. With a flick of his wrist, Alexander summoned the system interface, a holographic display shimmering before him. His fingers danced across the system interface, after finally seeing the skills, he clicked on it. [Skill: Berserker Instinct [First Tier] Description: As your lust for killing rises, your strength increases by 10%-50%, while nearby enemies can sense your bloodthirst, making weaker foes hesitate or flee. But at the cost of clarity and control. Prolonged combat will lead to a frenzy state, where distinguishing friend from foe becomes difficult.] As Alexander read the information, he couldn''t help but feel the danger lurking within the skill. If he ever decided to kill again, his desire to do so would surge, threatening to overwhelm him completely. However, he noticed the phrase "First Tier" at the end of its description, recalling that ''Heart of Stone'' had a similar designation. "System, can you explain why there is a ''First Tier'' in my skill?" Alexander asked, genuinely curious about the significance of this level designation. [For skills, each has its own levels. The First Tier is the starting point; the higher the tier, the stronger the skill. Leveling up a skill allows it to evolve, enhancing its effects and abilities. However, each skill has unique requirements; the rarer the skill, the harder it is to level up.] Hearing the system''s explanation, Alexander nodded. "But what are the requirements?" he thought inwardly. "System, can you show me the requirements for ''Berserker Instinct''?" he asked. [First Tier -> Second Tier] [Quest: Trial of Bloodlust] Description: To evolve Berserker Instinct to the next tier, you must embrace your bloodlust while maintaining control. Your ability to balance power and clarity will be put to the ultimate test. Quest Requirements: Slay a beast that is above level 30. [0/100] Slay a spirit beast. [0/5] Master the art of killing intent. [0/1] As he read the requirements, Alexander couldn''t help but be taken aback, the quest to promote the skill seemed incredibly hard to accomplish. like literally, killing level 30 beasts felt like an insurmountable challenge. After battling the saberwolves, the strongest he had faced was only level 9, and that had been a significant struggle. He was puzzled by the mention of a spirit beast and had no idea what "mastering the art of killing intent" meant. "System, could you explain what a spirit beast is and clarify what you mean by mastering the art of killing intent?" Alexander inquired again. [A spirit beast is a creature that has cultivated for years accumulating a lot of energy from the heaven, evolving into a being with human-like consciousness. It can think and act like a human, possessing unique powers that emerge after evolution. Spirit beasts are typically around level 50 or above, similar to the strongest Loomhopper in your catalogue. Some of them even have extraordinary traits, such as the ability to breathe fire like a dragon depending on their evolution.] [As for the requirements of mastering the art of killing intent, it is up to you, the host, to discover what that tells.] After the system delivered its last statement, it disappeared, leaving Alexander scratching his head in confusion. Achieving the remaining requirements felt really a challenge for him and it would likely take an unknown amount of time. Now, he also had to figure out how to utilize his killing intent. Was it just a matter of releasing it, or was there more to it than meets the eye? After pondering for a while, Alexander decided to inquire about his other skill, "Heart of Stone." [Quest: Trial of the Heart] Description: To evolve Heart of Stone to the next tier, the host must undergo trials that test your emotional resilience. Quest requirements: Confront the past. [0/1] Resist Emotional Manipulation. [0/1] As Alexander read this, he couldn''t help but reflect on the complexity of emotions. This quest was truly about confronting his past. The anger toward his family lingered, and even the thought of their abandonment stirred deep resentment within him. After enduring years of suffering without any support, he did not even received calls, no messages asking if he was okay, he felt like he was just a trash being thrown at. It was as if he had been deemed a burden, someone whose death would not matter even if they are in front of him. The weight of that realization pressed heavily on his heart. Shifting his thoughts, Alexander glanced at the second requirement, curious about what another quest might entail. However, he was too bored to ask, realizing that this skill was centered solely on emotions and offered no powerups or buffs. He decided it was better not to dwell on it too much. "System show me my status" Alexander commanded. Read exclusive content at empire [Status Experience: 38/12,000 Name: Alexander Free Points: 14 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 11 Strength: 39 Speed: 37 Agility: 39 Dexterity: 27 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 39 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Alexander looking at his stats, could not help furrowed his brows when he noticed that his earnings had not increased. Clicking on the panel, he saw a paused status displayed. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "System, why is my earning generator paused?" Alexander inquired, confused about why his passive income was frozen. [The reason is that the host is currently engaged in missions, and this is not considered idling at all. But don''t worry, your earnings will accumulate for the duration of your stay in this place.] The system replied to his question, but then something caught Alexander''s eye. As he scrolled through the panel, he discovered an unlocked sticker labeled. [Unlocked after reaching level 10] Curious, he clicked the unlock button. He heard the sound of chains clanking, which made him nod in appreciation at the system''s special effects. In response, a new money generator appeared on the screen. [Passive Investments: Stock Market Simulation] Stock Market (Level 1): Invest any amount to earn 1% per hour passively. Stock Market Earnings {Level 1}: Increased percentage by 1% will cost around 500,000 pesos. Real Estate (Level 1): Invest 100,000 pesos to earn 5% per day. Real Estate Earnings {Level 1}: Increased percentage by 2% will cost around 1,000,000 pesos. Increased Real Estate Investment {Level 1}: Increased Maximum investment to 200,000 pesos will cost around 500,000 pesos. Alexander''s eyes widened with excitement at this new function. With this upgrade, he realized that making money wouldn''t be a challenge anymore and it will be easy as plucking apples from a tree, he could even generate millions in just a month or even less than that. He eagerly anticipated the next locked function, which would unlock at level 20. However, he noticed that the generator was paused, and he couldn''t upgrade it yet. With a sigh of disappointment, he resigned himself to waiting for it to accumulate a good amount of money while he continued his mission. Suddenly, Alexander caught a foul odor reminiscent of dead fish emanating from himself. He felt sticky from the sweat and blood of covering him like a pain, and the claw marks lining his back and chest throbbed were so vivid that if he does not drink any magical things to heal it. When it will be healed by itself, the aftereffects of it will remain as his trophy in his first mission. Standing up from the pile of saberwolf corpses, he jumped down to the ground. As he contemplated leaving the area, his stomach grumbled, reminding him of his hunger. Alexander suddenly remembered something important and smacked his face in frustration. "I can''t believe I forgot something so important! The snacks and water I was supposed to buy for this mission. I totally forgot!" he exclaimed, feeling incredibly stupid for such a simple oversight. He was supposed to restock on supplies before accompanying Zya that night, but he''d completely forgotten. This was a real problem, as he didn''t know if these saberwolves, or any of the other beasts in this area, were even edible. He pushed down his cravings to eat the corpse and decided to find a river to take a shower. After taking a few turns, his ears picked up the sound of flowing water. He picked up his pace and finally found a river. The water was clean and seemed uninfected by germs or bacteria. It was so spotless, that it even reflected his bloody face. He took off his clothes. Since they were already ruined, it was ripped on both the back and front like it was wore for years. If he wore them now, he''d look like a beggar that had no money to buy clothes. Luckily, his shorts hadn''t been attacked by the saberwolves, showing that they weren''t entirely shameless. Alexander then cleaned himself in the river, washing away the blood that clung to him like mud. He spent a while cleaning himself and decided that was enough for now. Stepping out of the flowing water, he decided to find the village Ariana to complete his mission and leave this world for good. After walking back into the forest, he saw a single-path road in the middle of the forest. He assumed this must be the road leading to the village. Since his system couldn''t help him locate the place, he decided to explore it himself. Taking this road, it was quiet, and the only sound he could hear was the chirping of birds. It wasn''t dark, because the leaves of the trees weren''t really covering the road. But the sides were a little creepy, filled with trees and tall grasses, making it a perfect place for an ambush. He was just thinking about how good this place would be for an ambush when he suddenly saw a group of people blocking the road, staring at him with big grins on their faces. Alexander couldn''t help but feel excited. He''d found locals! With their help, he could finally find out where Ariana, the village, was located. Chapter 40 Knowledge about the world. In front of him were ten men standing before him, clad in thick leather armor. Their boots, also of leather, thudded heavily on the ground. Each man held a weapon ¨C a gleaming metal sword in one hand, and the others are an axe.Their eyes, narrowed with greed and were fixed on Alexander figure. He couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows in surprised. This world, he thought that it was going to be different. He''d imagined the inhabitants would be green skinned, with six hands and oversized eyes. Instead, he was facing a group of men who looked surprisingly like the people from his world. "Kid, if you want to live, you better give us everything you have and we''ll let you go," the big man growled, his axe pointed menacingly at him. Alexander narrowed his gaze, with a smirk playing on his lips. Is this guy an idiot. "Can''t you see I''m not carrying any bags? I don''t even have anything valuable on me. What am I supposed to give you if I have nothing in the first place?" he replied, enjoying the man''s frustration. Alexander, with no hint of panic in his eyes, raised his leg and delivered a powerful kick to the man''s abdomen. The impact reverberated with a sickening crunch, as if flesh had collided with iron. The man''s face turned ghostly pale, his expression frozen in shock, as if the very soul inside him had been knocked loose. His body shot through the air like a broken kite, slamming into a nearby tree with a bone-jarring thud. The force of the impact caved the trunk slightly, pinning him in place like a torn poster on a wall. His eyes were dull and lifeless, blood streaming from his nose and mouth. The fabric of his clothes, where Alexander''s kick had landed, was shredded, hanging in tatters as he remained motionless, a grim testament to the overwhelming strength he had just tooked. "A warrior?" Alexander pondered, wondering what he was talking about. Alexander shifted his gaze to the large man wielding an axe. The instant their eyes met, terror gripped the man, his bravado crumbling. His accomplices, sensing the danger, fled without a second thought, they are desperately trying to distance themselves from the monster in front of them. The big man with the axe was no different, his instinct screamed at him to run. But before he could take a single step, Alexander vanished from sight. A cold shiver ran down the man''s spine as he realized the kid was no longer where he had stood. His heart pounded violently in his chest, panic clawing at his mind as he felt a presence behind him. With a wild grunt, the man stepped back and swung his axe in a wide arc, twisting his body with all his strength to gather momentum. His muscles bulged as the axe cut through the air, aimed to cleave Alexander in two. Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire Alexander watched as the massive blade of the axe swung toward him with deadly force, but with a casual flick, he raised his hand and caught the axe between his two fingers. The man stared in disbelief as Alexander smiled and quipped, "Oopsies." Panic gripped the big man. His fingers trembled as he released the axe, abandoning it to flee for his life. He spun on his heel, desperately trying to run. Alexander who was unfazed, crouched down and picked up a small pebble. With a relaxed yet calculated movement, he placed the pebble between his fingers, aimed as if holding an invisible gun, and let out a soft ''phew''. The pebble shot through the air like a bullet, striking the back of the man''s head with a sharp thud. The man stumbled forward, his legs giving out beneath him, before crashing face-first into the ground. A smirk tugged at the corner of Alexander''s lips as he admired his handiwork. He never expected his aim will be that good. "Is this the effect of dexterity?" he mused deep down, his voice laced with curiosity as he approached the fallen man with slow and steady steps, while his fingers brushing against the heavy axe that now lay at his arms. "Don''t move, or I''ll kill you right here, right now," Alexander warned, his voice was cold and unyielding. This time, his killing intent was fully focused on the man. "Please, don''t kill me! I''m sorry if I offended you. I will never do it again," the big man with the axe whimpered, his voice breaking between sobs. Tears streamed down on his face, mixing with the snot running into his mouth as he choked on his words, utterly consumed by fear. Alexander stared at the man, momentarily speechless at the pathetic display of surrendering. He sighed, his hand still casually gripping the large axe. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You''re already a big man. Stop crying, or I swear I''ll drop this axe and chop you in two," he warned, his voice was cold but laced with a hint of exasperation. The man sobbed harder, shaking uncontrollably, but made an effort to stifle his cries, desperately trying to avoid further provoking the one who held his fate. He then raised his head and looked at Alexander with great fear. Vladimir''s eyes flickered with confusion, "Aren''t you a warrior? Why don''t you know anything about this?" he muttered to himself, afraid of offending cruel man in front of him again. "A warrior is a kind of person who can feel the energy in the surrounding area. They harness this energy to strengthen themselves, giving them a boost in strength and powers. For the levels, we have: Beginner Stage, Initiate Stage, Adept Stage, Warrior Stage, Battle Master Stage, Grandmaster Stage, Ascendant Stage, and Saint Stage. This is what differentiate a warrior by their status." Vladimir explained recounting the structure of this world. Alexander nodded, still pondering because of the system''s lack of clarity about his actual standing in his world. It displayed his level, but he had no real point of comparison, as it seemed detached from the rankings that governed even this world. He wondered if there were others like him, strong, hidden figures lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves. "So, if I may ask, what level am I right now?" Alexander repeated, his gaze shifting toward the big man. Vladimir, the man who was kneeling, pondered. He furrowed his brow, clearly thinking hard, before finally answering, "I¡ªI don''t really know, Master. I''ve never encountered warriors like you before. They''re rare, the kind of people you hear stories about, but never see. And if we ever did meet one, we''d be running for our lives. Your presence and identity... well, they''re far beyond what a small gang like us could ever dare to offend." Alexander sighed, already knowing the response he was about to receive. "Alright then, last question, where is the village of Ariana located?" Vladimir, still shaken, pointed toward a narrow path. "This road leads straight to Village Ariana. Just keep going, and you''ll find it, but... it''ll take about two days on foot. The place is really far, and you don''t have a carriage or even a Veil Essence Lamp to mask your scent from the beasts lurking in this forest." "Veil Essence Lamp?" Alexander asked, curiosity was clear in his voice. He felt like a newborn calf in this world, constantly needing to ask basic questions just to get by. Vladimir blinked rapidly, speechless for a moment, "Isn''t this just common knowledge? Even a kid knows what it is..." he thought but didn''t dare voice his frustrations. "Veil essence lamp It''s a small, ornate lantern infused with special herbs and crystals. When lit, it emits a subtle mist that not only conceals the scent of the person but also masks the presence of any living beings within. Merchants used this to attach it to their carriages, ensuring a smooth journey without attracting unwanted attention from beasts. Its soft, glowing light is said to soothe even the most restless spirits." he explained again. Alexander nodded, feeling that his understanding of this world was slowly expanding. "Do you have this lamp?" he asked, his gaze sweeping over Vladimir, as if searching for hidden treasures. Vladimir quickly shook his head, "No, I don''t. Beast attacks are rare during the day, so I keep mine at our base. We mostly use it at night when it''s more dangerous." "I see. Well, that''s about it. You can leave now," Alexander said, rising to his feet and turning his back on the man. Vladimir on the ground wasted no time. He scrambled to his feet, with heart racing but starting to calm down now that the danger seemed to have passed. Just as he was about to run, Alexander''s voice cut through the air once more, it was cold and sharp. "Also, if I ever see you involved in this kind of practice again..." Alexander''s voice trailed off as he slightly turned his head, his gaze was dark and menacing at the same time, like that of a grim reaper. "You''ll be the first human I kill." Vladimir stood frozen, his body trembling uncontrollably. The weight of Alexander''s words pressed down on him, the cold promise of death seeping into his bones. Without another thought, he bolted, not even daring to glance back. His breath came in ragged gasps as he darted into the dense forest, weaving between the trees, his heart pounding in his chest. "Hekk..." he muttered under his breath, nodding to himself as if to confirm that he had narrowly escaped with his life. Meanwhile, Alexander turned his gaze toward the long road ahead. The path stretched on, leading him toward the village of Ariana, where his mission awaited. Without hesitation, he took his first step forward, his pace was steady and purposeful, leaving the chaos behind as he continued his journey. Chapter 41 In another world, from the otherworld Alexander had just begun his journey, and after walking for an hour, he realized he had forgotten something. "Did I forget that I''m hungry?" he wondered inwardly, as his stomach grumbled, reminding him of his hunger.He could not help but smacked his head and decided to leave the road and look for a pond or river. The people in this world seemed to be the same as him, so maybe eating their food is an exception. Leaving the trail, he went into the woods again. Tall, greenery trees towered above him, their dense canopies blocking out most of the sunlight. The air grew cooler and damp with the scent of moss and decaying leaves. Strangely, the plants were the same in his world just like grass for example. With luminescent petals glowed softly in the underbrush, casting an otherworldly light. He could hear the distant chirping of unseen bird, and the rustle of leaves as small animals scurried about. The deeper he ventured, the thicker the foliage became, wrapping him in an almost oppressive embrace. Thanks to his incredible agility, he could effortlessly navigate through the dense and rugged forest. Thick trees, entangled vines, and stubborn bushes posed no obstacle to him. He moved with the fluid grace of a serpent, slipping through the narrowest gaps and twisting paths with ease. His heightened senses guided him through the undergrowth, making his passage almost silent and seemingly effortless, as if the forest itself was parting to let him through. "Is this how it felt to be a serpent?" he wondered aloud. [No], the system replied bluntly. "I''m not talking to you," Alexander shot back, his face livid with a mocking expression. The system then disappeared, allowing Alexander to continue his journey. The forest was dimly lit, with the sun tightly covered by the dense canopy of leaves. After a few minutes of struggling through thick trees, entangled vines, and stubborn bushes, they began to thin out. Finally, he saw a light. As he sped up his pace, he found himself before a breathtaking scene. Multiple waterfalls cascaded down lush, green cliffs into a clear, turquoise pool of water, its surface shimmering in the sunlight. Dense vegetation surrounded the area, with trees and plants adding to the serene atmosphere. The water was so clear that he could see the bottom of the pool, adding to the surreal beauty of the scene. It was a hidden paradise that seemed almost too perfect to be real. Alexander was in awe of this place. It was so magnificent and beautiful that words couldn''t define it. It was as if he had stepped into another world and was inside of another world. Walking to the rocky shore of the pond, he took off his slipper and dived in. He could see the fish swimming gracefully, their scales radiant and pearlescent white, and there were so many of them. The clarity of the water only heightened the surreal beauty of the scene. When Alexander jumped in, the fish in the pond scattered, trying to swim away. But Alexander was faster. He swam to the nearest fish and caught it with his bare hands. The fish was larger than expected, with peerless white scales and fins so smooth he didn''t feel any prickle. Its gills were puffed, making it look even cuter, while its shining pectoral fins constantly moved in a frantic attempt to escape Alexander''s grasp. The fish''s radiant beauty was mesmerizing, and Alexander couldn''t help but marvel at the exquisite creature he held in his hands. Seeing how cute it was, Alexander gritted his teeth and let go, even though he was really hungry. He couldn''t bring himself to eat that cute fish. After letting go, the fish didn''t swim away but looked at Alexander with its big, cute eyes. It swam between his legs in an appealing way, making Alexander smile from its actions. Deciding he couldn''t eat such charming creatures, he resolved to find some fruits instead of eating the fish. After swimming to the shore, his feet finally touched the rocky water, and half of his body was no longer draped in the water. Suddenly, just across the pond, he heard a splash, indicating someone had made contact with the water. Alexander turned his head and could not believe what he saw. This was the first time he had witnessed such a breathtaking beauty. The woman stood at the edge of the pond, feeding the fish. Her flowing white dress adorned with intricate gold accents showing an otherworld regal style. The dress''s low-cut neckline revealed a hint of her cleavage, accentuating her feminine curves. Thin, delicate straps added to her overall grace and refinement. Her long, flowing hair framed her face, showing her delicate features. She had a feminine face with large, expressive eyes that held a hint of mystery. Her bright red lips added a touch of sensuality to her appearance. Her skin was flawless and radiant, reflecting the soft light that bathed the scene. She carried herself with a graceful confidence, exuding poise and self-assurance. She appeared at ease in her surroundings, radiating tranquility and serenity. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The overall impression was one of ethereal beauty and captivating charm. The fish gathered around her, eager to eat the fruit she offered. The scene was so peaceful, conveying a sense of harmony between the woman and nature. Alexander could not help but be stupefied. This was his first time seeing something so otherworldly beautiful. "Is this how a normal woman looks in this world?" he thought inwardly. The woman who was feeding the fish lifted her face, her radiant smile quickly changing to a stunned expression. She saw a shirtless man looking at her nonchalantly from across the pond. She was surprised that she hadn''t noticed him earlier, but her gentle gaze quickly turned cold as she pointed at Alexander. "Who are you? How did you come here?" she demanded, her voice firm. Alexander couldn''t help but follow his gaze to her bouncing peaks, then quickly coughed, realizing how inappropriate that was. His skill ''Heart of Stone'' was activated, making his expression neutral and calming his racing heart almost instantly as it happened. "Sorry, I''m lost. Is this your pond by any chance?" Alexander asked as he lifted half of his body from the water. His handsome face and blue eyes radiated a kind of charm and otherworldly aura. The scars and bite marks on his chest and back only added to his cool, daunting appearance, giving him a mature vibe in the eyes of the woman. She observed him closely, noting the contrast between his striking features and calmed demeanor while talking to him. "This is the first handsome man I''ve ever seen in my life," the woman thought to herself as she eyed Alexander. "Yes, this is my place. I will let you go this time since you were lost and not lying to me," she replied, her face remaining serious, exuding a cold and aloof vibe. Yet, her voice was calm and soft, like a melody playing every time she spoke. The contrast between her stern demeanor and the soothing sound of her voice made her all the more intriguing to Alexander. He couldn''t help but be captivated by her voice. The woman could see that Alexander was not lying, as she possessed an eye that could see through any lies. Her stare never left him as she waited for him to move. Alexander nodded and left the pond, heading back to the trees. The woman couldn''t help but touch her forehead in wonder. "How did a human get in here? Did he accidentally wander through a hidden portal? Hmph, luckily he didn''t hurt any of my fish," she said, caressing the same fish Alexander wanted to eat. Alexander, back in the dense forest, was hungry. His stomach grumbled, and he regretted not eating that fish. His conscience said it was a good fish and shouldn''t be eaten, making him sigh as he continued his walk. After a while, he spotted two massive boars, each twice the size of a regular boar. The boars had thick, bristly fur that was a mix of dark brown and black, providing perfect camouflage in the forest. Their eyes glowed with a wild, fearsome aura, and their tusks were long and curved, gleaming menacingly in the dappled forest light. Each step they took was heavy, causing the ground to tremble slightly beneath their weight. Their muscular bodies displayed their immense strength and power, making it clear that these were formidable creatures not to be underestimated. "Can these still be called boars?" Alexander muttered, squinting his eyes while hiding in a bush. "Who gives a shit right now! The bigger, the better," he whispered to himself. With that, he teleported behind their backs silently and with a swift ''boink,'' he knocked them unconscious. Alexander stood over the fallen beasts, a small, satisfied smile forming on his lips. "Now that''s how you handle a boar," he thought, feeling a surge of satisfaction. He then killed them quickly and without pain at that, trying to soothe his conscience. He shook his head, muttering to himself, "Alexander, remember this is how a hungry person survives. Killing a boar or two isn''t a sin." He was trying to convince himself, forgetting that he had slaughtered nearly a hundred saberwolves just yesterday. [You killed a ''Titan Tusks''. You''ve gained 13 exp] [You killed a ''Titan Tusks''. You''ve gained 11 exp] The system then automatically scanned the beast with its holographic panel, much like the rays of light used when paying at a cashier. [Titan Tusk Description: The beast of nature and favorite pets of a Titan. It has immense physical strength and formidable tusks, a Titan Tusk can plow through dense forest with ease. Their senses are highly attuned, able to detect the slightest disturbances in their territory. One of its most distinctive behaviors is the ground tremor it creates with each step, which serves as a warning to intruders. Whenever you spot these beasts and see a symbol on their tusks, it indicates they are owned by someone. Be warned: killing such a pet is tantamount to killing their child.] Alexander was in a daze when he heard this. He hurriedly checked the tusks and, sure enough, there was a grey symbol. Discover more stories at empire Etched into the tusks was a grey symbol, resembling an intertwined serpent and crescent moon. The serpent coiled tightly around the moon, its body covered in intricate scales that seemed to shimmer faintly. The moon was a perfect crescent, with delicate lines radiating from its edges, giving it an ethereal glow. This symbol clearly marked the boar as the property of someone powerful, a clear warning to any who might think to harm the creature. The ground beneath him shook violently as a booming voice echoed throughout the forest. "Who killed my childrennnnnsss!" it''s roared, were reverberating through the trees and causing the leaves to fall like rain. The sheer power of the voice made Alexander''s heart race. He knew he was in serious trouble. The owner of these Titan Tusks was coming, and it wasn''t going to be pretty. Alexander could sense a thick wave of killing intent covering the forest, making him regret his decision. Even if he tried to apologize by killing the boar, I mean ''the child'', since who calls a boar a child? He knew it was the pet of a powerful person, I mean a child of a powerful person. And you bet that owner, will be especially protective of their "pet-child," and would never let him go, since he killed them. As the archive closed, the cover of the book then appeared, now bearing the title ''Fairy Realm Archived.'' But Alexander didn''t notice this, as his focus was on the approaching figure. Chapter 42 Where the heck am I Feeling the pressure was gone, Alexander could not help but catch his breath."This monster is so strong," Alexander muttered under his breath as he carefully observed the hulking figure before him, who was now watching him with equal intensity. The large man with red skin took a few heavy steps forward, but then paused abruptly. His nostrils flared, and his eyes darkened with realization. The energy that had struck down his children earlier, he could feel it now, it was the same kind that human in front of him is emanating. "You... you killed my child! I''m going to kill you!" the red-skinned giant roared, his voice shaking the trees around them. The scream echoed through the forest like thunder, reverberating in Alexander''s ears, almost rupturing his eardrums. Alexander instinctively stepped back, momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer fury radiating from the red-skinned human like person. His body was tensed, and in a split second, he turned, ready to flee. But before he could take a single step, the monstrous figure was behind him, moving with terrifying speed, as if the air itself parted for his advance. A massive fist came hurtling toward Alexander in a powerful, sweeping hook, the force behind it undeniable. His instincts screamed, urging him to react, but he barely had time to brace himself. Desperately, he crossed one of his arms, bringing them to his waist where the blow was aimed. The impact was immediate and brutal. Alexander grunted in pain as the immense force of the punch sent him flying into the air like a ragdoll. The world blurred around him as he soared upward, while his body spinning helplessly. The arm he used to block the strike throbbed with searing pain, and he realized with horror that it was bent in an unnatural direction, twisted and red from the sheer force of the blow. The pain was blinding, jolting him fully back into the moment. Still airborne, Alexander acted on instinct. Gritting his teeth, he reached out with his other arm, grabbing onto a low-hanging tree branch to stop his fall. The sudden halt jarred his body, but it kept him from crashing into the ground below. "Human! you dare trick me earlier! You''ve just made me furious!" the red-skinned giant roared, his eyes blazing with deadly rage. With a furious snarl, he clenched his massive fist and slammed it into the ground with full force. The impact sent tremors rippling through the earth, and debris erupted into the air. The very ground beneath their feet quaked violently, creating an earthquake that shook the trees around them. One by one, the trees began to uproot, swaying wildly before crashing to the ground. Even Alexander, who had taken refuge in a sturdy branch, felt the tremors. Despite the tree''s impressive size and strength, it buckled under the pressure and began to fall. He barely had time to react before gravity took hold, sending him plummeting toward the ground. "What the hell is this strength?!" Alexander cursed in shock as he tumbled. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "System, wasn''t this mission supposed to be just at medium difficulty? Why does it feel like I''m the mission is at the impossible level?" He demanded answers from the system, unable to comprehend how the giant''s power had escalated so drastically. "Uhhh. Just handle it yourself, Host. It''s not like you''re going to die," the system replied nonchalantly, as if Alexander''s life was not facing a life and death situation. "What do you mean I''m not going to die?! I''m literally about to get crushed if that fist lands on me!" Alexander retorted, frustration bubbling up inside him. The casual attitude of the system during such a dire situation was enough to drive him mad, but there was no time to argue. The massive tree he had perched on began to buckle, the ground trembling beneath it. With no other choice, Alexander leaped down, landing heavily on the ground. His body tensed as he felt the enormous presence of the red-skinned giant bearing down on him with terrifying speed. Without warning, the giant threw a straight punch, the sheer force of it sending a gust of wind that rippled through the air like a cannonball. Alexander barely had time to dodge, twisting his body to the side with great agility, just in time to evade the deadly strike. Focusing intently on the fight, he pushed the system''s uncaring problems to the back of his mind. There was no time to think about anything else, one wrong move, and it was over. Continue reading at empire Every punch the red-skinned giant threw was like a thunderous explosion, the force so powerful it created wind bullets that tore through the environment with ease. Trees were snapped in half, bushes shredded like paper, and the ground beneath their feet cracked and cratered with each missed blow. Alexander dodged with everything he had, while was sweat pouring down his face, his breath turned ragged. His injured arm hung uselessly at his side, the bone was shattered and limp, needing at least a day to heal. Each dodge became more desperate as the onslaught continued. The destruction around him was immense, and he knew that one direct hit would mean certain death. "Boss, maybe we can talk about this? There''s gotta be something I can do to make you forgive me," Alexander said, wanting to compromise. He knew the difference in strength between them was like night and day, and he was grasping at his last straw to survive. The giant, red-skinned man paused, glaring at Alexander with burning red eyes. A deep, guttural laugh escaped his throat. "You killed my children, and now you want to bargain with me?" His voice was like thunder, filled with contempt. "Human, I''ve been using only 10% of my power. If I were serious, you''d be nothing but just a puddle of blood by now. I''m letting you live because I want to. I''ll go soft on you... just so I can torture you until death." The hatred in the red-skinned man''s eyes was palpable, its like a living force that suffocated the air around them. Alexander''s eyes widened in shock, "That was only 10%? Are you serious?! I almost died from that destructive power, and he''s still holding back?!" His mind raced, the sheer gap between their abilities sinking in like a cold wave. "This mission is a total scam... the difficulty is insane!" he muttered to himself, disbelief swirling in his thoughts, he could not help but cry, but no tears was coming. It was almost too overwhelming to process. As the liquid touched his tongue, he experienced something entirely different from anything he had "Fuck those children, you can just cook them if you want to," the big man with red skin said, forgetting about the cause of this problem just a moment ago. Alexander couldn''t help but manage a broken smile as his brows trembled. He really wanted to smack his head with his fist, but he was too weak right now. "Since you seem to have given me a lot of your treasured wine. Here, take this. For I, Talon Ragnor, am an upright person and will not steal without giving you compensation." As he spoke, three blue crystal stones appeared on his palm and flew through the air, which Alexander caught. Chapter 43 Crimson Overlord When he caught the stone, he saw it was a crystal, pulsing with massive pure and destructive energy. Unlike any diamond or treasure he had ever seen, it left Alexander wondering about its true nature."System can you explain to me what a spirit stone is?" Alexander inquired. [Spirit stones, sometimes known as Aetherial stones, are powerful sources of condensed energy. These stones contain a highly concentrated form of Aether, the energy that fuels cultivation. They are essential for various purposes such as enhancing cultivation, powering artifacts, and even as a form of currency among cultivators. The quality of a spirit stone can vary, with higher-grade stones providing more potent energy and greater benefits.] Alexander felt his scalp go numb after hearing this. "What happens to those who aren''t so lucky?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. "Not much," the big man in red skin replied. "Some of them make you their slave or a puppet for torture and amusement. But there are also good spirits who help those who accidentally end up here. That''s why you''re lucky to have survived this long." He looked at Alexander, his hair fluttering in the wind. "Are you saying you''re one of the good spirits? And... you''re not human?" Alexander said, with a raised eyebrow. "I''m neither good nor bad," Talon said. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I can''t define that since it''s up to the person themselves to decide. Since I have nothing else to do, and I really like your gift, I''ll entertain your questions for a while. Now, sit." He gestured for Alexander to sit on the ground. "Yes, that''s right. Some of our kind can reach the height of a mountain. Those are known as full-grown Titans. As for me, I''m still considered young since I''m not over a thousand years old yet. I may be not tall right now, because we Titans have the ability to shrink and expand to our normal size. Explore stories at empire However, when we shrink, we lose a small margin of our strength, so this leads to my current appearance" he explained to Alexander, pulling out a bottle of Mountain Dew from his storage ring and sipping it slowly to savor the taste. Alexander nodded thoughtfully. "A Titan as big as a mountain? Couldn''t one of those destroy an entire nation if it attacked my world?" He pondered the possibility, imagining the devastation. If only he knew that a full-grown Titan could obliterate his world with a mere snap of its fingers, he would be utterly shocked. "Are there any other races besides yours? Like Beastmen, Vampires, Werewolves, Mermaids, and Demons?" Alexander asked curiously. At the mention of Demons, the Titan''s eyes gleamed sharply, and a surge of killing intent flooded the air like a roaring river. Alexander suddenly felt suffocated, this killing intent was ten, no, a hundred times stronger than his own. But just as quickly as it appeared, the Titan retracted it, noticing Alexander''s heavy breathing. "Yes, there are many races, including those you mentioned. But in this realm, where you currently find yourself in, only us Titans, Seraphim, Wraiths, Aetherians, Mermaids, and Fae live here. Since this is one of the sacred grounds. As for races like Beastmen and Vampires and more, they lived in different place than us. For the rest, I''m not sure, since the realms are vast and full of diverse races. But when it comes to Demons..." his voice grew sharp as he spoke the last word. "The Demons are the true devils across all the realms. Long ago, when the world was plunged into suffering, about 500 million years ago, if I''m correct. It was filled with danger because these devils roamed free. They were like a plague, and their cruelty was beyond imagination. Their power was immense, but the scariest thing about them was their ability to regenerate in the blink of an eye. During that time, millions died each day from the destruction and massive massacres. Even when all the races and powerful beings across the realms united, they were still defeated. Just when all hope seemed lost, someone appeared." Talon''s tone shifted, now filled with respect and reverence as he spoke of this mysterious figure. "He was unbelievably strong, far beyond any cultivator I''ve ever heard of in history. He slaughtered every demon with just a swing of his crimson blade, known as the ''Devil''s Punisher.'' With each swing, the demons fell, their most proud regenerative abilities were completely suppressed. For years, he fought relentlessly, alone, facing billions of demons without rest. He was unmatched, and his strength inspired hope across all races in the realms. The demons became so terrified of him that they fled to their world, which made every powerhouse in awe. Seeing that those demons actually know true fear. But he didn''t stop there, he followed them through the portal, not knowing where it would lead. That was the last time caught a glimpse of him." Talon''s voice grew louder, his reverence for the savior was clear in his voice. "He became known as the ''Crimson Overlord,'' the savior of the realms from the demons'' reign of terror. He was the only true bane of the demons." Alexander was amazed after hearing this story, "One person solved a problem that billions of people across the realms couldn''t handle? This is like a real-life main character," he thought, really impressed by this guy. "So, where is he now?" Alexander asked, curious, since Talon had only mentioned the Overlord''s achievements but not his current whereabouts. "When he entered the portal, he never returned. Legends say he''s still alive, kicking, and slaying demons in their world. After all, the demons haven''t made any moves in millions of years," Talon said, his voice become lower and dimmer. "The entire realm was deeply indebted to the Crimson Overlord, yet no one ever got the chance to thank him before he disappeared after saving the world." Talon ended with a sigh. Alexander nodded, his worldview was shifting dramatically. The strength he once thought was impressive in his world seemed insignificant compared to the powers that existed in other realms. But if he were to discover that Earth itself wasn''t what it seemed, he would have to completely rethink his understanding of it. His eyes burned with determination, with a newfound resolve to grow stronger igniting within him. "Since I''ve answered all of your questions, follow me. I''ll escort you back to your world. Since this is going to be our last meeting," Talon said with a laugh as he stood up. Alexander couldn''t help but smile. Despite everything that almost killed him, the guy before him wasn''t so bad after all. He stood up, eager to complete his mission and grow stronger. "If we meet again, I''ll share more of my heavenly wine with you," Alexander promised, and Talon''s satisfied smile widened at that remark. "Good. Hurry now, or you might be discovered by the other races," Talon replied as they began to walk away from their previous location. They traveled for a while, as the trees growing thicker around them until only a narrow path remains, that is barely a meter wide, remained for them to walk on. The area was dark, with the massive trees blocking most of the light, making it difficult to spot even a glimmer of brightness. Finally, they arrived at a wide clearing, the ground covered in plain grass and surrounded by thick trees. In the center stood a colossal tree with a gaping hole that resembled a cave entrance, but it was pitch black inside. Chapter 44 You did not see that coming didnt you? As Talon watched Alexander vanish into the tree, a wave of relief washed over him. That relief quickly dissipated as he sensed a presence behind him. Turning around, he saw three entities he knew all too well. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Their bodies were elongated and gaunt, seemingly held together by shadows rather than flesh. Their limbs, unnaturally long and thin, ended in claw-like hands that seemed capable of tearing through the very fabric of reality. Their faces were hollow, with deep-set eyes that glowed faintly, giving the impression of smoldering embers in a dark void. Their presence exuded a chilling dread, as if they were harbingers of despair itself. "Talon of the Titan race, how dare you allow that human to return to his world? Do you have any idea what grave crime you have committed?" one of them demanded in a deep voice, his tone was brimming with anger. Talon just scoffed at the Wraith who spoke to him, glaring sharply in response, "What I choose to do is none of your concern. He didn''t force his way into this realm, he merely stumbled upon it by accident, so it''s not a crime for him to be captured." he explained to the three. "So what? According to the rules of the fairy realm, if any race other than ours sets foot here, they must be killed, tortured, or...hehe." He the slightly paused, with a twisted smile spreading across his face as he giggled, leaving his sentence unfinished. Stay connected through empire Talon felt disgusted by the implication of the Wraith''s last statement. (Umm, please don''t think of anything inappropriate, since it''s not like that, actually, it''s something like that.) "That rule only applies to your kind, whose personalities are so twisted and disgusting. It clearly states that as long as no harm is done, we cannot kill them or administer their ''deserved punishment,''" he replied, filled with amusement in his voice. "Actually, that human killed my pets, but he compensated me by giving me something else. So, it was a win-win, and he did not lose anything" Talon said inwardly, with a smile adorning his face. "Hmph! Talon, if you weren''t the son of the chief of your race, I would have chopped you into pieces and fed you to my slaves!" The Wraith''s eyes glowed red, and a powerful pressure filled the air. Talon merely pursed his lips, "Do you think I''m afraid? Don''t forget that I ranked first among the strongest of my generation. I haven''t survived all this time by relying solely on my father. Even if the three of you gang up on me, you''re still no match," he said arrogantly, his voice dripping with coldness. As their auras leaked and clashed with each other, sparks flew from their exchanged glares, creating an electric tension in the air. The Wraith took a step back, realizing that even with three of them, they are really no match for Talon. "This isn''t over, Talon," the Wraith said threateningly, his gaze deadly. In an instant, the three of them were absorbed into the ground by the shadows, leaving only Talon standing in the clearing. He glanced back at the hole in the tree and mused aloud, "The Ashbourne family is still alive and kicking. I wonder where you all are residing now?" His gaze drifted upward, filled with curiosity. He had notice this when Alexander introduced himself. Since the Titan Tribe was particularly sensitive when it comes to bloodlines. After connecting these dots, Talon sensed that Alexander possessed the pure bloodline of the ancient Ashbourne family. Combining these two clues led him to this realization. But he wasn''t entirely sure, as it had been a long time since anyone had heard from the Ashbourne family after the Great War. Inside the darkness, Alexander couldn''t see anything, "Hello?" he called out loudly. His voice echoed throughout the dark place. After walking for a while, he spotted a light so he quickened his pace. The familiar sight of the forest emerged before him, looking around he was finally back. A wave of happiness washed over Alexander, he was greatly relieved to return back. That other world was dangerous, filled with something so abnormal and the unknown danger it have is so scary. Yet, deep inside, he felt that such a world was where he truly belonged. Shaking his head, he called upon his system with a grin on his face. "System, you were just making fun of me a moment ago, right? Look, I escaped and finally returned to this world. Now you should fulfill your end of the bargain!" Alexander said, excitement was evident in his voice as he anticipated his reward. [>_<] "..." Alexander did not say anything, as he tapped his finger on his shoulder, crossing his arms and giving the system panel an annoyed look at its expression. [Side Quest: Find the portal to go back] Difficulty: Impossible Punishment for failing: Increases the pain by 100% from the original mission punishment. Description: Since this seems impossible to achieve, failing the mission and accepting the original punishment is a good choice. Rewards: Heavenly item of your choice (>_<) Status: Completed] The mission panel then expanded like a flat-screen TV, revealing an array of weapons. Among them were swords with distinctive designs and auras. Sword number 1 had a curved blade with jagged edges, looking fierce and battle worn. Sword 2 gleamed with a golden hue, its sharp curve ready for swift strikes. Sword 3 stood tall and regal, with a complex hilt resembling a cross, hinting at ancient craftsmanship. Sword 4, was sleek and white, it had a dark brown handle, exuding an air of purity and precision. The unique crescent-shaped blade of sword 5 glimmered in gold, its circular guard adding to its mystique. Sword 6 was silver with intricate, almost crystalline designs, paired with a blue hilt, radiating elegance. Sword 7 wavy blade and simple brown handle gave it an unpredictable and deadly charm. Sword 8, broad and angular, looked like it could cleave through anything in its path. Sword 9 is red and black design, coupled with a curved guard, emanated an ominous aura. The sleek blue blade of sword 10, with its futuristic design and grey hilt, looked ready for cutting-edge battles. In the bottom row, sword 11 was a classic straight silver blade with a golden hilt, exuding timeless heroism. Sword 12 purple blade and ornate hilt suggested a weapon of magical origins. The green and gold design of sword 13, with its detailed hilt, appeared as if forged in nature''s heart. Sword 14, with its red blade and golden guard, seemed destined for a fiery warrior. Sword 15''s straight blade and feather-like hilt design hinted at a swift, cutting grace. Sword 16, a white blade with golden accents and a detailed hilt, looked like it belonged to a celestial guardian. The fiery red blade of sword 17, with its jagged design and brown handle, seemed forged in the heart of a volcano. Sword 18, sleek and silver with a futuristic hilt, looked fit for a space-age knight. Sword 19 is green blade with golden accents and a detailed guard appeared as a relic of the forest guardians. Lastly, sword 20, with its pink blade and intricate designs, stood out as a weapon of delicate yet formidable power. [Weapon: Nightfang Grade: Heaven Description: Forged in the heart of a dying star, Nightfang''s blade absorbs and stores cosmic energy. When wielded, it can unleash devastating energy blasts that can disintegrate enemies and other dark entities. Its jagged edges are designed to tear through the fabric of space, suppressing any abilities of its foes. The sword also has a passive ability to cloak its wielder in shadows, making them nearly invisible in low light conditions.] Reading this, Alexander felt a surge of satisfaction. He then moved his hand, navigating it to explore the next weapon in the system. [Weapon: Sunfire Cleaver Grade: Heaven Description: This sword was forged from the core of a sun, giving it an intense, radiant energy. The golden hue of its blade is not just for show for it can emit searing bursts of solar energy that can incinerate foes with a single strike. Sunfire Cleaver has the unique ability to harness sunlight, making its wielder stronger during the day and nearly unstoppable in direct sunlight. This weapon was created by a race of celestial blacksmiths who aimed to create a beacon of hope in times of darkness, ensuring that its wielder could bring light to the darkest corners of any realm.] Alexander''s eyes gleamed with interest as he scanned the information on each weapon. Though tempted to choose those weapons since he liked their ability, he stopped since he knew that he had to find the perfect match for his skills. With each description about their unique properties, his desire to possess them all grew stronger. Finally, he arrived at weapon 30. [Weapon: Starlight Rend Grade: Heaven Description: Forged in the depths of a nebula, Starlight Rend is a sleek, blue blade with a cutting-edge design that harnesses the power of stardust and Aetherial energy. Its main ability is to manipulate gravitational fields, allowing the wielder to control the weight and trajectory of their strikes with pinpoint accuracy. The sword can create small gravitational wells to trap or disorient enemies, making it a formidable weapon against multiple foes. Starlight Rend was created by an ancient race of star navigators who needed a weapon that could withstand the harsh conditions of space and provide unparalleled versatility in combat.] As he scrolled through the options, Alexander found most of them unappealing and not quite to his taste. After scrolling through nearly a hundred swords, he finally landed on weapon 763. His excitement surged, as this weapon perfectly complemented his current self. Chapter 45 Infernal Fury The weapon he was seeing, was a sight to behold, a testament to the power of fire and the forge of the damned. Its blade is a jagged with serpentine curve of obsidian, its surface etched with the flowing lines of molten lava.The edge is like a fiery inferno, crackling and dancing with an otherworldly heat. The pommel is a gnarled, with a demonic skull, its eyes were glowing red with an infernal light. The hilt is wrapped in the sinewy skin of a fire demon, its scales were even shimmering with a fiery sheen. The guard is a twisted, with a horned beast, as its claws gripping the blade in a perpetual frenzy. [Weapon: Infernal Fury Gade: Heaven Description: The more the wielder kills, the more powerful Infernal Fury becomes, it amplifies the host strength exponentially with each life taken. As the blade become redder and redder after absorbing so much blood you will get a passive ability unique only to the Host] "Unique Passice? System what is that" Alexander inquired. [Host, every Heaven Grade weapon has a unique passive ability that only its wielder possesses. The system can''t display this information, so the Host must choose wisely.] Hearing this, Alexander narrowed his eyes in disagreement, "Don''t tell me you''re just trying to get back at me! I thought you were all-powerful, but you are clearly holding a grudge when you didn''t see that coming. Is this part of your revenge?" He said, shooting the system a mocking gaze. [No.] The system replied before disappearing entirely. He quickly selected the item and clicked the ''Confirm'' button. A bright light then illuminated the space in front of him as the sword began to float slowly toward him. As Alexander''s fingers curled around the hilt of the sword, a surge of raw, untamed power coursed through his veins. The blade thrummed with a malevolent killing energy, with its fiery edge crackling with anticipation. He felt an intense heat radiating from the sword, not burning, but invigorating, like a forge''s heat tempered by centuries of dark magic. The aura around the blade was oppressive and intoxicating, a palpable sense of dread mixed with a thrilling rush of power. Every fiber of his being resonated with the blade''s thirst for battle and bloodshed, making his heart pound with exhilaration and his senses sharpen to a razor''s edge. In that moment, Alexander felt an overwhelming connection from the weapon, as if it were an extension of his own self. He even felt that his killing intent turned sharp and the oppressive feeling it release is so powerful right now. [Contract complete, you are now the sole owner of the sword ''Infernal Fury''] [Unique Passive: The more the wielder kills, the stronger they become. This ability can greatly enhance all stats by 10-80%, except for Intelligence and Charm. If no blood is shed within 30 minutes, the buff will be deactivated. [Bloodlust: As the wielder''s desire for battle intensifies, Bloodlust heightens the Host senses and reflexes, increasing strength and Speed by 60%. However, prolonged use diminishes clarity and control, potentially leading to a berserk state. Cooldown: 1hour] His veins was more refined than ever, enhancing his overall control of the Aetherial energy, making it easier for him to transfer it in any part of his body. When everything achieved spiritual harmony, Alexander''s body shook and sweat formed on his face. Slowly, a core began to materialize within him. After absorbing the final drop of the Aetherial Stones, Alexander opened his eyes, now filled with immense power. [ I don''t even know what the hell I''m explaining, since its all nonsense that comes to my mind. But you get the idea so moving on. --Author ] Alexander felt a gaping emptiness inside him, like a core that was missing its essence. As he tried to draw energy, it slowly started to fill that void, but the process was agonizingly slow. "System, show me my status," Alexander said, curious about the massive changes in his stats. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Status Experience: 62/12,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 14 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 11 Strength: 62 Speed: 59 Agility: 58 Dexterity: 43 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 62 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] His strength had really soared, at least two times than what it was before, which shocked him greatly. Even though his level was still 11, it didn''t reflect his current power at all. He believed that even if a level 20 beast was in front of him, he could take it down easily. After standing up, his vision had become much clearer, and his hearing was sharper than ever. He could even hear a woodpecker hundreds of meters away so clearly. Alexander then left the area, trying to find the road again. After a lot of wandering around, he finally found it. He took the path and went straight, but then something struck him, "Didn''t I eat anything? How come I''m not hungry at all?" Alexander said, furrowing his brows. Why wasn''t he hungry? is the biggest question. "Is it because of the improvement in my strength? That''s not good explanatory at all. Just to be safe, I should eat," Alexander said. He left the road, but now he was much more cautious, afraid that if he went deeper and stumbled upon another portal, it would be the end for him. He didn''t know that such occurrences were rare, since all about chance and luck, or more precisely, bad luck for a human to stumble upon those places. After wandering around for a while, he finally found a source of food. It was a deer, but this wasn''t just any deer, it had three horns on its head, thicker fur, and was much bulkier and bigger than any deer he''d seen before. Like he had even seen a deer in his life, since he was always in the city doing work, not having much time to see this animal. But he saw this in the TV from the channel Natgeo Wild, about their appearance so he had a general idea about it. Alexander sprinted, pouncing on the beast. His gaze turned cold as he released his killing intent. The deer, sensing immense danger, wanted to flee, but Alexander''s killing intent suffocated it, causing it to shake uncontrollably. Alexander swiftly decapitated it, making the kill as painless as possible. [Tricorn Deer Description: A deer known for its imposing size and strength. Its three horns, jutting majestically from its head, serve as both a defense and a symbol of its dominance. The fur of the Tricorn Stag is much thicker than that of a regular deer, providing warmth in the harsh climates of its native environment. With a bulkier and more muscular build, it stands as a formidable presence in the wild, embodying the raw, untamed essence of the land it inhabits.] He skinned the beast, removed its meat, and made a fire. Since it was just basic math to him. As the fire grew bigger, he used a branch with a sharp point to pierce the meat and grill it over the flames. As the meat cooked, the refreshing smell of roasted meat filled his nose, making his mouth water. Even his stomach, which had been quiet just a moment ago, grumbled, remembering its function as a stomach. Alexander took a bite of the meat. As the cooked flesh was chewed in his mouth, he couldn''t help but savor the flavor. Tears were even forming in his eyes as he chewed, he so overwhelmed by the deliciousness. After finishing the first piece, he threw away the empty stick and picked up another, biting into it ferociously. "This is so delicious," he mumbled, savoring the flavor. But suddenly, he felt his blood rejuvenating, and his body seemed to be strengthening, though it was only about 1%, so it was barely noticeable, but he noticed this and though that it''s because the animals here carried a hint of Aetherial Energy in them. Then, the bush beside him began to tremble. Making him stopped his lunch and looked at the spot. Suddenly, he saw a little girl who looked malnourished staring at his piece of cooked meat, where his stick was holding it. Her eyes locked on it, and her stomach grumbled loudly, causing her saliva to fall uncontrollably. "Whose child is this? Don''t tell me she''s lost in this forest. Poor little girl," Alexander thought as he stood up and slowly walked towards the girl. Seeing him walking close to him, she looked at the big man in front of him, trembling with fear. Continue your journey on empire Her eyes trembled, and her brows fluttered as she took a slow step back. She was so scared that tears welled up in her eyes. Chapter 46 This is supposed to be a draft, Dont pay this chapter Alexander smiled at them, but behind that smile was chilling coldness. His gaze terrified the fat man, and even the others in black suits were visibly shaken.This wasn''t an ordinary person, he seemed more like a superhuman, they though in their mind. After all, who could kick a man bigger than himself so hard that he flew across the room and shattered the door? The fat man''s sweat flowed like a river as he looked at Alexander, but seeing that he still had six men left, he regained some of his composure. "Don''t hesitate! He''s alone, and there are six of you. Draw your weapons and kill that kid!" the fat man commanded, trying to mask his fear by shouting loudly as he pointed at Alexander. The men realized that their big bro was right, Alexander was just one person, while they had numbers on their side. They reached into their pockets, pulling out a folding knife, and slowly began to surround Alexander, glaring at him with killing intent. Alexander smirked in amusement as he watched their movements. He then felt a gentle tug on the back of his clothes. It was Zya, looking at him with deep concern. Alexander gave him a reassuring smile, silently telling him not to worry since he was here. But Zya couldn''t calm down. Just moments ago, the men were unarmed, but now they held knives, making the situation far more dangerous. "Kid, let me tell you, the Black Serpent Gang isn''t a group you can just mess with," the fat man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. Three of the gang members, emboldened by their numbers, launched their attack. The man at the front, his eyes burning with malice, as he aimed a deadly thrust at Alexander''s heart. His intent was clear, he wanted Alexander dead. But Alexander was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he intercepted the knife with just two fingers, stopping it inches from his chest. The man in black suite was stunned by the ease from which Alexander deflected his attack, he tried to pull back his weapon, but it wouldn''t budge. Alexander seized this opportunity, raising his palm with lightning speed. A thunderous slap echoed through the room as his hand connected with the man''s cheek. The force of the blow sent the attacker reeling backward, his face contorted in pain. The slap was like a drum being pounded by a giant drumstick, as the sound echoing through the room. The man''s cheek caved in, as his teeth flying out in a bloody spray. His eyes rolled back without any sign of consciousness, as he was flung through the air. He slammed into the wall, shattering a string of LED lights with a sickening crunch. Sparks flew as the electricity shorted out. The other two men, seeing their comrade''s fate, lunged at Alexander, their knives aimed for his throat. But Alexander was too quick. He lashed out with a lightning-fast punch, connecting with both men''s faces simultaneously. Their faces were shattered, and their noses was crushed and twisted. If there was an X-ray it would likely reveal their broken bones beneath the mangled flesh. They flew through the air like ragdolls, passing beside the fat man, and crashing against the wall at the same time as the walls where they were hit shook from the impact. They then lay motionless, unconscious and defeated. The fat man was visibly terrified, realizing the gravity of the situation he had instigated by provoking such a formidable opponent. The three men was hesitating right now, unsure whether to act or not, knowing that Alexander could swiftly resolve the conflict in a matter of seconds. Like seriously, he dealt with their companions earlier in just a matter of five seconds. Who are they to go and confront this devil, they don''t have five lives. Amidst the chaos with the violent sounds reverberating through the room, a man in a formal suit, adorned with glasses and of a slight build, entered with an expression of anger. "Who dares to stir trouble in our ''Black Serpent Gang'' territory?" he thundered, his gaze piercing as he looked at the fat man. "Pyro, who has the nerve to cause trouble here? Does he still want to live?" he seethed with rage, his gaze locked onto the trembling figure of Pyro. Pyro, unable to meet the furious man''s eyes, trembled visibly, his fear is palpable and livid. With a shaky hand, Pyro pointed towards a figure in the room. The man then strode forward, his anger simmering as he laid eyes on the source of the disturbance. But after seeing the person, his eyes twitched. "How did this kid end up here?" he cursed silently, taken aback by the unexpected presence of the youth. He thought Alexander wasn''t as tough as he seemed, considering he''d only taken down a group of inexperienced thugs. But this time was different. Alexander had defeated their most skilled fighters, the men known for their experience in violence and combat. Discover hidden tales at empire Seeing their lifeless bodies and disfigured faces, a chill ran down his spine despite there was no wind. His menacing expression softened into a smile, as if greeting a friend. "Mr. Alexander, I apologize for the trouble. Please forgive us," Ethan said with a forced smile. Yes, it''s Ethan, Jonathan''s assistant. He understands that based on this scenario right now, Alexander is both powerful and ruthless when dealing with his enemies. He need to reassess their approach before counterattacking again. Seeing the sudden change in expression, Pyro was stunned, as were the three men in suits. Pyro, the fat man, remained silent since he recognizes that Ethan''s was much more experienced than him and this person in front of him seems to be a person that shouldn''t be messed with. Alexander who was the center of this was stunned, "Didn''t I just kick some of his subordinates ass? why are they treating him with respect right now? Being violent is actually a great way to scare the opponent in submission" he though inwardly. Zya and May just hid behind Alexander, watching the entire situation unfold. "Do you know me?" Alexander said, looking at his face. Ethan answered instantly, "Of course we know you, Mr. Alexander. Please forgive my subordinates for causing trouble. I will try to punish them after this for offending you," he said with his hand clasped, showing Alexander his broken smile. Alexander just snorted, so he walked, planning to leave while holding Zya''s soft hand. Being held by him, Zya couldn''t help but feel that she was in the safest place in the world. "You''d better control your subordinates, or I will do it myself," Alexander said as he passed by him. His voice was cold clearly a threat. Ethan formed some black lines on his forehead as he looked back at Alexander, still having that ugly smile on his face. "Yes, yes, I will try and manage my subordinates after this," he said in a respectful tone, afraid to offend Alexander. Hearing his reply, Alexander just scoffed and left the place through the door and finally exited the bar. When his figure was finally gone, Ethan, whose face still had a smile, turned ferocious as a mad lion. "Fuck! fuck! fuck! that kid thinks he''s so good, huh? Let me see how we''ll deal with you," he said, cursing Alexander as he picked up the wine bottle on the table and smashed it to relieve his anger. He was seething with anger, a controlled but with an intense anger, with his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Pyro and the rest couldn''t help but calm him down. After he was calmed, his eyes were still red from the anger and humiliation. "Big brother, are we going to take revenge?" Pyro said, even though he was afraid, but the humiliation the Black Serpent Gang suffered was horrendous. "Don''t worry, the boss had already planned this out, but since I just saw how strong he is, I think there might be some revisions for the plan," Ethan said gloomily. Alexander, Zya, and May were walking in the side road. When the two finally looked back and saw that they were not being followed, the two could finally breathe. "Alexander, thank you very much for standing up for us in there. If it weren''t for you, we would have been..." Zya said but stopped. She was fearful from just imagining it. May, who was holding Zya''s hands, let go and looked at Alexander. The three of them then stopped in their tracks. "Alexander, thank you very much for saving my life as well. It was my fault in the first place, and the two of you got involved. I''m very sorry for making trouble for you earlier," she said, feeling regretful for what she did. "Don''t mention it. You''re Zya''s friend," Alexander said, shaking his hand to not mind the past. "So if I''m not Zya''s friend, you will actually not care since what I did is really inhumane," May said as she sighed, feeling remorseful from what she had done to humiliate Alexander. Alexander then wanted to assist them to go home, but Zya had already called her father, sending their driver. He waited with them to make sure no unexpected things would happen. After the driver arrived, they bade their farewell, and Alexander also went home. This time he decided to sleep in his manor. By stopping a taxi, he took a ride in the direction to ''Summit Heights''. After arriving at the entrance of the gate in ''Summit Heights'', the security guard stopped the vehicle. After Kent saw it was Alexander, he opened the gate to let car in. The driver of the taxi was awed and surprised to see this seemingly young man, who he thought is a normal person was actually a rich person in disguise. When it arrived just outside the gate of his manor, he paid like 1,000 Pesos. Then the driver said his thanks, then left the place. The security guard that was specifically assigned to his manor greeted him and opened the gate. After Alexander was inside, he walked his way to his room and took a shower. After wearing his clothes, he did not waste his time and started cultivating using the ''Vital Draw Technique''. Morning passed, and Alexander felt refreshed. He took a shower and went to work for today since it was Monday. As he was walking the path down towards the entrance gate, a Porsche passed by him. Unknown to him, a woman was watching him from a rearview mirror. She couldn''t help but think, "Did someone buy a house? He seems to be so young, and that path where he came down is the only Manor that has been unoccupied for years," she said, but she did not ponder about it and just left the place. Alexander then asked Kent to take him for a ride just below the mountain to take a taxi, but Kent said that he could drive him to his destination, but he disagreed. After taking a ride, he also gave him a tip and stopped a taxi then worked for the day. He served some guests, had fun with Claire, and he also did not see Sophie because she always left when it was time for her tutor. Just like that, morning passed, and tonight is the night, but before that, a message popped up. [FatMerchant69: I''m sorry, ''AlexanderTheGrate.'' I''ve been so busy these 1 day that I missed your message. As compensation, I''ll add another 500 silver coins.] FatMerchant69 sent the message, and soon after, Alexander received 4,700 silver coins. [The Host has received a payment from user ''FatMerchant69'' of 4,700 silver coins. Converting to your currency, you''ve received ''4,700,000 pesos.''] Alexander was surprised and thrilled at the same time, he had just made millions from another transaction. "That guy is seriously loaded with money," he cursed in excitement. "System show me my Status" [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 31 Speed: 26 Defense: 29 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] His status increased after cultivating in that one night, and now he was ready. Suddenly a message panel popped up. [Mission: Saved the Village] [Will be starting in 5, 4, 3, 2... 1] The system counted, then Alexander was illuminated by light, and his face that was serious and excited about what it feels like to go to another world. The he was gone from his room. Chapter 46 The Beast in the road Seeing her eyes welling up, Alexander stopped in his footsteps. He could see that the little girl in front of him was truly afraid. So, he went back from the campfire and took a cooked piece of meat. He slowly walked to the child and gave it to her."Here, are you starving?" Alexander said in a soft voice, looking at the little girl with concern. The little girl''s eyes widened, seeing the food in his hand. Her mouth became watery, but she stopped herself and looked at Alexander with fear. Her stomach grumbled like a mad lion, so she decided to take the meat in Alexander hands even if she was scared. Getting the food, she bit into it and had a hearty meal. Alexander, seeing the little girl savoring his food, smiled. So, he went back to his campfire and ate more, since the deer was big, and of course, there was a lot of meat that 3-4 people could eat and finish. Alexander knew that if the little girl was still starving, she would come to him. If he became too proactive, he would scare her. So, he had to take it easy. [Why don''t you ask Drake for suggestions? since he''s an expert- Author] As the little girl finished the meat and only the stick remained, seeing that there was more of it on the campfire, she walked with slow steps and arrived just beside Alexander, but it''s only three steps away, as she sat down. Alexander seeing her actions, couldn''t help but smile a little. So, he took a barbecued piece of meat from the fire and passed it to her by extending his hands. The little girl, seeing this, took it in her hands and began to munch on it like crazy. She was like a beast that haven''t eaten a food for a very long time. Seeing her action, Alexander narrowed his eyes, wondering if this little girl had no family, since she wasn''t well taken care of. Her face was filled with dirt. Her clothes were tattered and hadn''t been washed for a long time. Her hair was even more haggard. "Slow down, the food won''t run away," Alexander mumbled in a low voice. Hearing him, the little girl looked at Alexander with her big eyes, as she slowed down her eating. Seeing this, Alexander nodded his head. He didn''t want her to choke! by eating so aggressively. Then, he heard her choking, indeed. She was humming and looking at him with a red and pale face. She was holding her neck like a dying person, "Oh, shoot, I have no more water to give!" he panicked, standing up and going to her side. But luckily, his skill ''Heart of Stone'' quickly activated, calming him down. He observed his surroundings, as his gazed landed on a coconut tree. He hurriedly climbed on top of it with great speed. Even a monkey couldn''t have achieved what he had done. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he jumped down, he took out his sword, which gave off a menacing aura. He then cut the upper part of the coconut so that the juice inside could be taken. The sword that was meant for killing, was used to open a coconut, which was quite ironic. "Here, drink it," Alexander said hastily, as he put the coconut in front of her. Understanding this, the little girl hurriedly took the coconut and drank from the cut part, making a gurgling sound. The lodge meat in her throat was finally gone when she was done. She made a hearty sound as she looked at Alexander gratefully. "This is why I told you to take it easy. You almost died," Alexander reprimanded, with anger in his eyes. Seeing him looking at her with anger in his eyes while reprimanding her, the little girl looked down clutching her thighs. Alexander seeing this, sighed. He couldn''t control himself for a moment. So, he took another piece of meat and passed it to her, "Sorry for shouting just now. Here, eat this. But this time, eat it slowly," Alexander instructed. Then the little girl nodded as she took the meat and ate it slowly. Alexander then ate his meal, since she wasn''t the only one who was starving. When they were done and there was no more food, Alexander was shocked, wondering how this little girl could eat so much meat. He should have been even more surprised about himself rather than the little girl, as they took a rest, Alexander decided to inquire. "Where are your parents?" Alexander asked the little girl, who was still keeping a distance from him. At the sound of his voice, the girl looked down, her expression turning sad. Her voice was soft and low as she responded, "My father died when I was young, during a hunt for food. My mother... she passed away from an illness not long after." Her voice trembled, and she paused before continuing. "My big sister has been taking care of me since then. But... we got separated. When we were out gathering some berries when a beast showed up, and I... I lost her," she finished, her small frame shaking slightly as she tried to hold back tears. "That beast was big and scary," the little girl sobbed, wiping her watery eyes with its small and delicate hands. "My big sister distracted it so I could run. I''m afraid she got hurt because of me." Alexander''s heart clenched at her words, "What a poor child to experience this at a young age" "How long have you been in this forest?" he asked, hoping it was just a few hours. "About two days now," she replied, her voice quivering but beginning to calm down. "Two days?" Alexander was shocked. "You''re lucky you didn''t run into any more trouble," he said with a sigh of relief. Explore more at empire "Do you know the way back?" he asked, glancing at her. She shook her head, signaling she was lost. Alexander nodded as he slowly, stood up. "Follow me," he instructed, and the little girl obediently followed behind him. As they walked, Alexander kept an eye on the path, hoping she would recognize something. But soon, he stopped in his tracks. A chill ran down his spine as he sensed something. The hair in every inch of his body stood on end. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the thick trees and bushes surrounding them. Something¡ªor someone¡ªwas watching them. It was a strong and had a menacing presence. Then, a loud rustling sound broke through the silence. The heavy breathing of the creature became audible, and when it finally emerged from the trees, Alexander''s eyes widened in shock at its massive size. Before him stood a monstrous bear-like creature, twice the size of a normal bear. Its hulking frame was covered in matted, dark fur, tangled with bits of debris. Its eyes gleamed with malevolent power, glowing a fierce red in the dim light. The creature''s muscles rippled beneath its thick hide, and its mouth was filled with rows of jagged, razor-sharp teeth. Its claws, each the size of a dagger, glinted menacingly as it flexed its massive paws. Its muscular arms were protected by spiked, armored bracers, and its sharp claws were visible. The bear''s growl rumbled like thunder, sending shivers down to the little girl''s spine. Alexander narrowed his eyes, and he felt a great threat towards this beast. Suddenly he felt in his short was being held tightly looking back it was the little girl who was shaking looking at the bear. "Mr., its that beast who attacked us 2 days ago" the little girl said in shaking tone. Alexander hearing this glanced back at the bearlike creature, he instructed the girl to hide from those trees. The bear seeing this action, did not stop since he felt that the threat he was getting from Alexander is far greater than the little girl. If it could kill Alexander then the weaker one would be an easy prey. Alexander could tell this beast was unlike anything he had ever faced. It was immensely strong, and it didn''t stand like a typical bear, but rather like a human, upright on two legs. As the light illuminated them, the bear growled heavily, scaring off the other beasts in the area. Alexander took his stance, extending his right hand and gesturing for the bear to come closer, a smile playing on his lips. He was eager to test his raw strength without relying on his sword. The bear seeing his actions had a strong resentment in his eyes, seeing that a human dared to be tough in front of him. It run towards like a normal bear would do, but every it steps its footprints caved in the ground knowing that its body carried a lot of power. The clash was immediate and fierce. Alexander launched a punch that connected with the bear''s massive shoulder, sending ripples through its dense fur. The Bear only growled from the impact as it retaliated with a swipe of its huge paw, claws slicing through the air. Alexander barely dodged, feeling the wind rush past his face. They exchanged blow after blow. Alexander''s fists met the bear''s powerful strikes with equal ferocity. Each hit from the bear felt like a sledgehammer, but Alexander''s agility and strength kept him on his feet. He landed a swift uppercut to the bear''s jaw, making it stagger back with a roar. The ground beneath them shook with their movements. Alexander used his speed to weave around the beast, striking at its sides and ribs. The bear''s growls grew more furious, its eyes burning with rage. It lunged forward, aiming a devastating strike at Alexander, who met it head-on with a powerful punch that reverberated through the clearing. Alexander''s smile grown wider and wider as they fought. Chapter 47 Bear vs Man The battle between Alexander and the bear raged like a thunderstorm in the clearing. The air crackled with intensity as the beast''s roars mixed with Alexander''s wild laughter, their voice was echoing through the trees.Experience more on empire Blood trickled from a cut on Alexander''s cheek, but he hardly noticed it, since he too caught up in the thrill of battle. The bear lunged again, its paw coming down like a hammer. Alexander met it with a powerful block, feeling the bones in his arm rattle from the impact. He gritted his teeth but laughed in the bear''s face, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "Come on! Is that all you''ve got?" he taunted, his voice was raspy with exhilaration. The bear snarled at him, with its fury blazing in its eyes. As it charged once more, using its massive weight to try and overpower the human. Alexander ducked low, sidestepping the bear''s rush, but not before a paw grazed his ribs, tearing through his skin and drawing blood. He winced but broke into a manic grin, the pain only fueling his excitement. His muscles tensed, and he sprang forward, delivering a crushing elbow to the bear''s side. The bear groaned in pain, its legs buckling for a brief moment before it steadied itself. Its eyes locked on Alexander, and it let out a thunderous roar, swiping at him with renewed rage. Alexander jumped back but was caught off guard as the bear''s claws slashed across his shoulder, sending him stumbling. Blood dripped from the wound, but Alexander only laughed harder, his voice carrying a wild, unhinged edge. "Good! Now we''re talking!" Alexander shouted, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He darted forward, dodging another swipe from the bear, his fists moving in a blur as he pummeled the beast''s side with rapid punches. His knuckles bruised with each hit, but the pain was meaningless to him now. The bear groaned louder, each strike was driving it back step by step. It bared its fangs, attempting one last desperate lunge, but Alexander was faster. He ducked under the attack, delivering a savage uppercut that sent the bear staggering back, roaring in agony. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The air around them shifted, heavy with tension as the bear''s eyes turned crimson, radiating an aura of terrifying raw power. Alexander felt a shiver crawl down his spine as he stopped in his tracks, his grin fading into an serious expression. He could sense the shift that something primal had awakened within the beast. [Warning: ''Rage of the Wild'' has been activated] The system chimed, but Alexander''s focus was already on the bear. He could feel its killing intent, that was cold and sharp like a blade aimed directly at him. The wounds Alexander had inflicted moments ago were closing, the bear''s body is pulsing with newfound a strength and vitality. Its muscles bulged as it roared, that sound of his shook the trees around them. "So, you''re not going down easy," Alexander muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I guess I''ll stop holding back." he said, since he was just only using 70% of his power. In an instant, the bear charged, faster than before. Alexander barely had time to react. Raises his arms in defense, but the bear''s claws smashed into him with brutal force, sending him skidding across the ground. His feet dug into the earth, leaving deep trails behind. Gritting his teeth, Alexander shot forward, unleashing a flurry of punches at full power, each one strong enough to shatter stone and destroy metals. But the bear met every strike with renewed fury, its speed and strength overwhelming him. Alexander''s heart pounded in his chest. He dodged another vicious swipe, but the beast''s claws grazed his side, drawing a deep gash. He winced but pushed forward, delivering a heavy blow to the bear''s jaw. The impact reverberated, but the bear barely flinched the beast, since it seemed to be in a berserk state. It responded with a massive swipe that caught Alexander across the chest, sending him crashing into a tree. The wood splintered on impact, the force of that blow was sending shockwaves throughout the forest. The trees around them swayed, their leaves rustling in fear as the ground quaked under the force of their battle. The once serene forest was now a battleground, with the ground torn up and trees cracked from the immense power the two unleashed. Birds scattered in the sky, fleeing the chaos below. Alexander struggled to his feet, blood dripping from multiple wounds. His body ached, and his breath came in ragged gasps. The bear, now towering over him, looked down with its glowing red eyes, relentless and bloodthirsty. It roared again, the sound deafening. Its body surged with even more power, and it charged forward, intent on crushing him. Alexander blocked with everything he had, his muscles was straining as he fought to keep the bear''s claws from ripping him apart. But even at full power, the bear''s strength was too much. It was faster, stronger, and its wounds were healing faster than he could deal damage. With every strike, Alexander felt his body wear down. His punches were met with the bear''s unstoppable force, and each impact felt like a mountain falling on him. The forest shook, and the ground beneath them cracked with every clash. The fight raged on, but Alexander was slowly losing ground. For the first time in the battle, amusement flickered in his eyes. "Dammit," he growled, wiping the blood from his lips. "This thing''s tougher than I thought." he continued. "But I''m tougher than you think, little bear," Alexander growled, a wicked grin spreading across his face, it was so twisted and fierce, like a devil savoring the chaos around him. [Berserker Instinct was activated.] His bluish eyes flickered it then burned a deep, crimson red the same bloodlust now reflected in the bear gaze, but colder and more menacing. The atmosphere around them grew darker, as though the air itself was recoiling in fear. The trees trembled, and the ground cracked beneath Alexander''s feet as his killing intent surged like a volcanic eruption. It was no longer a battle between man and beast it was a clash of beast and beast. The bear sensed this change but refused to back down, its own rage reaching its peak. With a deafening roar, it activated its one of its ability ''Maul Storm'' The beast charged at Alexander, its claws and fangs moving in a blur, tearing through the air with savage precision. Each swipe was a whirlwind of death, ripping into the ground while it flew slashing toward Alexander with the force of a hurricane. Dirt and debris flew everywhere as the earth was scarred from the bear''s relentless fury. Alexander''s movements were quick, but not quick enough to avoid all of the bear''s frenzied strikes. Claws raked across his chest and arms, leaving some deep bleeding wounds. He grimaced, feeling the sting of the cuts, but his grin only widened as his blood began to flow. "More!!" Alexander shouted, like a madman. The bear then lunged, its jaws snapping at his throat, but Alexander twisted just in time, delivering a brutal elbow into the beast''s side. The impact reverberated through the forest, but the bear barely flinched. It followed up with a savage claw, catching Alexander in the ribs again sending him flying across the battlefield. He hit the ground hard, rolling through the dirt, his body battered but not broken. Blood dripped from his wounds, but as it did, his muscles began to swell, his strength surging in response to the pain. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 20%.] The bear roared again, this time even louder, and charged forward, ready to finish him off. But Alexander, still on the ground, was already grinning. His red eyes burned brighter, his aura growing heavier and more oppressive than ever before. He slowly stood up, wiping blood from his mouth. "Come on, beast," he muttered, his voice was low and deadly. "You''re not the only one with a few tricks." he snickered. The bear in range unleashed another wave of its skill ''Maul Storm'', claws slashing faster, trying to overwhelm him with sheer speed and ferocity. Each blow sent shockwaves through the forest, tearing apart trees, ripping chunks of earth from the ground. Alexander, now fully embracing his Berserker Instinct, blocked and countered as best he could, but the Werebear''s strength was immense. The claws tore into him, leaving new wounds that bled profusely, but each wound only seemed to fuel his power. With every strike the bear landed, Alexander''s laughter grew louder. His body was covered in gashes, but the more damage he took, the stronger he became. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 30%.] He lunged forward, his fists were flying with brutality. His punches were like sledgehammers, cracking against the bears ribs and jaw, making it stagger. But the bear recovered quickly, swiping its claws again. This time, Alexander didn''t dodge. He took the full brunt of the attack, the claws digging deep into his shoulder, but instead of falling back, he grabbed the bear''s arm with his other hand, locking it in place. Blood streamed from his wounds, but his grin was wide, his eyes glowing with savage delight. "Hurts, doesn''t it?" Alexander snarled, before slamming his head into the bear''s snout. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, and the bear recoiled in pain, its nose cracked and bleeding. But Alexander wasn''t done. Using his enhanced strength, he lifted the massive beast off the ground, slamming it into the earth with a sickening thud. The ground caved beneath the impact, creating a crater around them. The bear roared in fury, trying to rise, but Alexander was already on top of it, his fists coming down like meteors. Punch after punch, he drove his knuckles into the bear''s face and chest, each strike fueled by his bloodlust and fury. The ground beneath them shook violently, cracks like a spider-webbing out from where they fought. Trees fell, as the forest crumbling around them as the sheer force of their battle devastated everything in its path. The bear that was so desperate, activated its only skill again ''Maul Storm'', its claws flailing wildly in an attempt to tear Alexander apart. But it was no use. Alexander was too far gone, his Berserker Instinct fully in control. He welcomed the pain, using it to fuel his relentless assault. Blood coated both of them, and the battlefield was littered with debris, the air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat. The bear''s strength was formidable, its regeneration keeping it in the fight, but Alexander''s power was growing with every second. His punches grew heavier, each one landing with the force of an avalanche. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 50%. Power is at Maxed Level] The system spoked in a cold voice. The Werebear groaned, its body finally showing signs of strain. Alexander, drenched in blood, let out a final primal roar, his fists crashing down with such force that the ground itself seemed to give way. The forest around them was unrecognizable, the landscape was torn apart by their battle, but Alexander stood victorious, his red eyes glowing as he looked down at the battered beast beneath him. The bear then died as it took its final breathed passing away. His red eyes that were glowing for a few minutes slowly returned to its true color, his mind becomes clearer and finally it turns back to normal. Chapter 48 Werebear Vs Man Actually!! [You have killed a Werebear. You''ve gained 87,000 exp]The ''3,378th Archive''. Appeared on his sight again. Then the information about the beast he just killed appeared in front of him. [Werebear Description: This towering beast stands twice the size of a normal bear, making it a formidable opponent in the wild. Covered in matted, dark fur tangled with debris, its appearance is both wild and menacing. The Werebear''s eyes gleam with a fierce red light, showcasing its malevolent intelligence and raw power. Its massive frame is supported by muscular limbs and dagger-like claws, ready to tear through anything. A growl from this creature itself can send shivers down the spine of any adversary. At night, its strength increases by half, and under the full moon, its power is doubled, making it even more dangerous. Unique Skills: Rage of the Wild: When the Werebear''s health is low, this skill temporarily increases its strength and speed, while also regenerating a portion of its lost health. Its eyes glow a fierce red, and it emits a terrifying roar that intimidates nearby enemies, reducing their combat effectiveness. Maul Storm: Unleashes a devastating combo of claw and bite attacks in rapid succession, dealing massive damage and causing bleeding, which makes the opponent take damage over time.] Alexander reading this was stunned he actually just escaped death itself. If he was not wrong, if he fought this werebear at night he will struggle a little and if its in the full moon it will make him more serious and used his weapon which he also had the confidence to win. Reading the skills he finally understood why its strenght and overall stats increased so much its actually because it was nearing its death. Remembering the amount of exp he had gained, he then called the system to know the great changes is. [Status Experience: 62/18,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 26 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 17 Strength: 68 Speed: 65 Agility: 64 Dexterity: 49 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 69 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Seeing his level that increased by 6 levels he was ectastic, he felt a cooling sensation as the injuries he had recieved slowly healing by his level up. It slowly patched up his wounds until the only thing left was his tropies after that battle. He was like a sandbag that was bullied by an animal since he had lots of scars, and bite marks. If normal person to see this, they would fell their scalps gone numb just from seeing what pain can a person feel if he had this kind of injuries. Alexander seeing the increased in his stats, he nodded in satisfaction as he felt that this mission would become much more easier than he anticipated. But what caught his eyes is one of his quest that had increased by 1. [Quest: Trial of Bloodlust] Description: To evolve Berserker Instinct to the next tier, you must embrace your bloodlust while maintaining control. Your ability to balance power and clarity will be put to the ultimate test. Quest Requirements: Slay a beast that is above level 30. [1/100] Slay a spirit beast. [0/5] Master the art of killing intent. [0/1] He can see that in one of its requirements the number actually increased by 1, so that means the werebear is actually level 30 or above which made him astonished. Find adventures at empire Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I though that I could only fight some beast that is only in the 20s or above. I can actually compete to those that is around level 30? So if I used my swords right now added by the increased in my level and my free points. My power must be able to confront those beast around level 40 and above." Alexander pondered if his strenght must be on par with those monster. He can''t tell since his level is only at level 17 but he can fough beast that is way ahead of him. "System can you make an update like you can show the level of the beast I defeat?" Alexander requested as the panel appeared in his sight. [Sure Host] The system complied since it was meant to serve and accompanies the host, since that is his function and program. Seeing his reply Alexander then got off from the beast, as he looked at its massive size wondering how tasteful it is. But he just shook his head since he was already full. Then the bush far away rustled and the little appeared on his sight, seeing him the little girl run to him with its delicate and small legs. "Mr, are you okay?" The little girl, spoke softly with a bit of childish tone. When she saw Alexander was fully covered by blood and the gruesome appearance of the bear, she did not show disgust and discomfort at all, but only gazed at him full of concerned. This warmed Alexander''s heart as he approached her, but did not get too closed since the blood and sweat is so stinky. "Let''s go to a nearby river so I can washed up, and you as well since you haven''t showered for a long time I guess" Alexander laugh as he caressed her small head. The little girl nodded as her big round eyes looked at him, with a happy expression seeing that the man who was good to him seems to be ok. Alexander then went to a nearby river, since when they were fighting they were already changing locations from the constant battle arriving to a place that is closed to a running river. When they arrived Alexander then swam in the running river where the current is not really that strong and the water just only reached over his chest. As he removed the blood that was clinging to him, he lifted his head and saw that the little girl is clutching the hilt of her clothes. Her eyes were red, with a hint blush on her cheeks. Alexander wonder what is wrong with the little girl making him concerned. "Are you ok? Your face seems to be red, are you having a fever" Alexander said, as he stood up from the river where his body was draped with water. The scars and the water that drapes from his body downwards, showed his great physiques that could make any girls mouths dry. His like an indomitable model filled with irresistible charm, even the little girl seems to be affected. The little girl hearing Alexander spoke, she shook her head. "I''m fine Mr. I''ll go down now" she replied, as she slowly walked from the rocky river. When she step foot for a few steps she felt that the water became deep making her drowned. Alexander hurriedly assisted her holding him by her waist, the little girl was breathing heavily by almost drowning. Alexander held her up as he brought him to the surface where the water is not really deep. Having made contact the little girl blushed, his face reddened like a tomato. Alexander wondered why his face was so hot while his body was cold from the water. "Are you really alright?" Alexander asked again. "Yes Mr, I''m really fine" She replied. Alexander then swam back to where he was and continued cleaning himself. The little girl then also cleaned every inch of her body, she splashed her face with water, she also washed his hair and cleaned every inch of dirt and mud that is sticking onto his skin. Alexander feeling the stikcy feeling of the blood even though it was already gone, the feeling of the slimy thing was still there. "I should buy a soap next time for this reason" He though inwardly. As they were done since Alexander was shirtless he resurface with only his wet shorts. He did not need to dry it since he will not cold by his great resistance to cold and heat now, even a fever never likely going to happen to him. As he looked back the little girl clothes was so wet, she can see that her skin was actually white, her face was rosy and lively showing her cuteness. Just from this features her appearance will be a top notch beauty in the future. "You should dry your clothes" Alexander suggested, since she can''t just continue their jouney she will get a cold if she continued. The little girl nodded knowing this problem, she looked at Alexander and he gazed back at him. After a few moments the little girl face turned red. "Mr, can you give me space it''s embarassing" She uttered in a mosquesto voice as she looked down shyly. Alexander was stunned he could not help but laugh inwardly from this, but he know that this was good since the little girl understood the difference between a man and a woman even though she was just a little child. "Ok, I''ll be waiting over there" Alexander replied with a smile as he gave the little girl some space. The little girl seeing him walking away, took her clothes off as she dried it in the big rock where the sun shone brightly on it. The heat was strong so it just only took 30 minutes to be dried but its still wet a little but still its good since it was much more comfortable to wear. She then walked towards Alexander who was sitting with its back to the trees closing his eyes. His breath was calm and he seems to be resting, feeling the presence of life his eyelids open and stood up. "So you''re good to go?" Alexander inquired. "Yes Mr." The little girl replied with a huge smile. Alexander nodded then they went back to the main road to continue their walk, he glanced at the lively girl and asked something that he seems to have forgotten. "I forgot to ask, what''s your name again?" Alexander spoked while they continue to walk. The little girl hearing the abrupt question replied, "My name is Anya Chalotra, Mr.""I see so it''s Anya, you don''t need to call me Mr. since that seems to be more respectful, just treat me as a brother and call me Alexan...Alex. Just call me Alex," Alexander replied with a smile. He stopped and decided to change his name to Alex since it would be cool that way."Big brother Alex," she spoke cutely as she looked at him with her big round eyes. None of them spoke as they continued to walk. As they traveled for about an hour, Anya stopped in her tracks and glanced sideways. Alexander noticed this of course and glanced at her. "Uncle, I remembered that tree over there. We are close to my place now," Anya said excitedly as she pointed at the big tree, where its fruits were apple-shaped, but its color are like that of a grape. Chapter 49 Finally Arrived As Anya pointed toward the tree, she walked over to it, gently touching its bark and gazing up at the ripe fruit hanging above. Alexander followed closely behind, intrigued by the strange, otherworldly tree."Is this even edible?" Alexander muttered to himself, eyeing the unusual fruit with suspicion. Anya sensing his curiosity, turned to him with excitement in her eyes, "Big brother, the fruit of this tree is really delicious! You should try it!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. Alexander looked at the bluish-purple apple in his hand, wondering what it would taste like. After all, it looked like an apple from his world but with a color more like a grape. "Well, here goes," he thought, trusting Anya''s excitement. With a small leap, he plucked the apple and took a small bite, hearing the familiar crunch of a juicy fruit. And as the flavor hit his tongue, he chewed thoughtfully as his face remaining neutral, giving nothing away. The juice spread through his mouth, and the taste was surprisingly rich and sweet, with a slightly tangy aftertaste. Anya watched eagerly, her big eyes full of anticipation. Alexander took another bite, this time more forceful, "It''s... different, but in a good way," he finally said, nodding approvingly. "I thought so," Alexander mused to himself. "It''s just like an apple, only in a different color." The mystery was solved, and his mind was at ease. Anya, her eyes wide with curiosity, asked eagerly, "So, big brother, how is it? Is it good?" Alexander smiled and nodded, "Yes, it''s good," he said, still savoring the unique flavor. Anya giggled softly, her innocent face lighting up with joy, "Big brother, let''s go to my place now," she suggested, remembering something important. "Alright," Alexander agreed, letting her take the lead. The forest around them wasn''t too dense, and the bushes and vines were easy to navigate. After about ten minutes of walking, they reached the edge of the trees, and just beyond that, Alexander could see a small village nestled in the distance. Seeing the village in the distance, Anya''s excitement bubbled over. She stopped in her tracks and jumped up and down, with her face brighting with joy. "Big brother, that''s where I live!" she exclaimed, her voice full of longing and happiness. But her mood shifted slightly as she added, "Let''s go. I''m afraid my big sister is still worrying about me." Alexander hearing this nodded casually, and the two of them quickened their pace. They left the forest behind and entered the grassy area surrounding the village. A dirt path, likely used by carriages and travelers, stretched out before them. As they walked closer, the village came into sharper view. Alexander noticed the bad situation of the place, since the houses was made from old, weathered wood, some of them with roofs even had holes in them. Leaving the homes vulnerable to both cold and heat. The sight gave him a sense of the village''s simplicity, but also its struggle. As Alexander and Anya walked further into the village, the people around them cast wary, untrusting glances in his direction. Their eyes were filled with suspicion, clearly not used to seeing strangers. Alexander noticed their reactions but paid little attention, since his focused instead was returning Anya safely to her home so he could continue with his mission. However, the villagers'' expressions changed when they saw Anya walking beside him. Shock and surprised filled their faces, as if they couldn''t believe she was back. They all though she died two days ago, it was really a surprised for him to survived. Alexander could feel their gazes on him, which is heavy and curious, as if they were trying to figure out who he was and what his intentions were. Anya, used to the village''s watchful eyes, was unfazed. As they reached the center of the village, Alexander noticed a large stone adorned with a ruby-like gem at its peak. It gave off a strange and unfamiliar energy, causing him to pause and study it for a moment. Suddenly, the sound of heavy breathing caught his attention. He turned to his right and saw a woman, her clothes were in tatters, her hair was unkempt, and her skin was smeared with dirt. She looked frail and malnourished, cause her bones were slightly visible beneath her thin frame. Despite her appearance, there was a certain intensity in her gaze as she looked at Anya, a mixture of relief and joy. The woman rushed toward them, her pace quick and unsteady. When Anya saw her, her face lit up with joy, tears streaming down her cheeks. Without hesitation, she ran to the woman with her arms outstretched. "Sister, little Anya missed you!" she cried as she dashed toward her. Find your adventure at empire The woman then knelt down and scooped Anya into her arms, holding her tightly as tears welled up in her own eyes. They clung to each other, with their sobs was the only sound in the village square, as they savored their reunion. After a long moment, the woman put Anya down gently, her hands was trembling as she cupped her little sister''s rosy cheeks, checking her over with a deep sense of worry. "Anya, are you okay? Were you hurt? Did anything bad happen to you out there?" Her voice was thick with concern, as her tears falling freely again. "Please forgive me for leaving you behind. It was the only way for you to escape safely," she added, her guilt evident as she wiped away her tears. Anya shook her head vigorously, her eyes still filled with tears, but her smile was shining through. "No, big sister! I''m fine! Big brother Alex helped me, and I''m safe now." The woman turned to Alexander with her eyes filled with gratitude, but also a hint of uncertainty, as if still processing the presence of a handsome man Infront of him. Anya smiled warmly, pressing her face against her sister''s cheek to comfort her. After a moment, she pulled back and reassured her, "Sister, I''m really fine. When you distracted the big bear, I managed to escape. I wandered the forest for two days, but luckily I met big brother Alexander. He helped me find my way back." As she finished speaking, Anya glanced back at Alexander, who stood a few steps away, who was shirtless observing their reunion with a gentle smile. Her eyes widened as she took a good look at Alexander, she saw the scars covering his chest, the claw marks, bite marks, and all sorts of wounds that told a story about a battle is deeply engraved in those. Despite his intimidating appearance, his expression was calm and there was kindness in his smile as he looked at her. For a moment she was lost in thought, wondering about the pain and hardships this man must have endured. Not knowing that Alexander, thanks to his berserker instinct the pain he felt was lowered due to its effects. But beyond the scars, she couldn''t help but notice his striking appearance, he was the most handsome man she have ever seen in her life. His smile was warm and reassuring, and she felt a deep sense of gratitude toward him. Aeloria blushed lightly as she received Alexander''s warm smile. Holding Anya''s small hand tightly, she stepped forward, her gratitude was evident. "Thank you for saving my little sister, Anya," she said softly. "I, Aeloria Luminara, am in your debt, Alex." She bowed slightly in appreciation, but Alexander gently stopped her helping her stand upright. "No need to bow," he said, shaking his head with a reassuring smile. "And please, just call me Alex, no need for formalities." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aeloria nodded, her heart filled with gratitude, while Anya smiled up at both of them, clearly happy to be reunited with her sister. Even though she was covered in dirt and grime, her natural beauty was undeniable. Her striking cat-like eyes, with their upward tilt at the corners, gave her a fierce and alluring look. Her hourglass figure and graceful presence only added to her undeniable charm, even in such disheveled circumstances. Totally used to this, Alexander just appreciated it. This woman in front of him was so beautiful that her charm was even greater than that of the women in his world. "Is this just a normal girl in this world? It''s impossible to find this kind of high-quality girl from a village, right?" Alexander wondered, as he held his chin. Feeling the intense gaze towards her, Aeloria was embarrassed, of course. Anya, who was beside her, shook her palm, making her glance at her. "Oh yeah, big sister, we don''t need to be afraid when gathering food and fruits right now. Big brother Alex just killed that bear into a pulp, avenging us!" she said with awe on her face, as she looked at her happily. Hearing this, Aeloria was stunned, "The Werebear is dead? That''s impossible! That beast is so powerful that even warriors are no match for it." she said inwardly with a shocked expression on her face her embarrassment was momentarily forgotten. Her gaze shifted to Alexander, and her eyes were wide with surprise and admiration. "You killed the Werebear?" she asked, her voice was a mix of disbelief and gratitude. Alexander scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit awkward with all the attention. "Is that bear famous in this place?" He said inwardly. "It wasn''t that big of a deal," he said modestly. "I just happened to be there at the right time." he continued. Anya, who was still full of excitement tugged on her sister''s hand, "Big brother Alex fought it like a hero, sister! You should have seen it too!" Aeloria glanced between her sister and Alexander, her heart swelling with relief and gratitude. "I don''t know how to thank you enough," she said softly. "That beast has been terrorizing the village for weeks, making it dangerous to even leave for food. You''ve done more than just saving Anya, you''ve saved us all from some trouble." Aeloria said with gratitude again. "There''s no need to thank me," he said, shaking his head with a smile. "I''m just glad I could help." "Can I ask, if it''s not inappropriate, are you and Anya related by blood? Since your last names seem to be different," Alexander asked, looking at Aeloria''s face. Hearing his inquiries, her face turned serious and then changed to sadness. She was about to reply when suddenly a bunch of footsteps sounded in the surroundings. Looking at the source of the sound, she bowed her head as the man, who seemed to be in his fifties, arrived near her. "Aeloria, who is this gentleman over here?" he said without any dillydallying, trying to get to the point. "Village Chief good afternoon to you, this gentleman here is named Alex. He''s the one who saved and helped Anya, my little sister, back here," she greeted and replied, as she stopped bowing her head. The man just nodded his head and looked at Alexander, "What is your purpose in coming to our village? Since Ariana village is located in the innermost part of this island, it''s impossible for you to have no objective in coming here whatsoever," he said, his eyes glowing with red light as he looked at Alexander. Alexander looked at the man who seemed to be in his fifties, a middle-aged man you could say. He was a man in his fifties with a sturdy, average build. His black hair was slightly peppered with gray and combed neatly, showcasing a bit of receding hairline. His face was marked by laugh lines and a hint of weathering, reflected a life well-lived full of vitality. He had warm brown eyes and a neatly trimmed beard that added a touch of good living. His skin was light tan, and his attire was simple yet tidy. There were no tattered clothes, which made Alexander narrow his eyes. But hearing the sentence in the man''s last statement, his mouth was in awe. Sadly, his expression remained stoic as ever. "I finally arrived," he thought inwardly, what a coincidence that Anya is actually one of the inhabitants of this place. Chapter 50 Suspicious Seeing his blank expression, which seemed like he hadn''t heard him, the man frowned in dissatisfaction."Young man, did you not hear what I said?" he spoke again in a cold voice. Alexander, who was back in his thoughts, glanced at the middle-aged man''s face, who seemed to be the village chief of this place. "Well, for my objective I''m actually a mercenary, you can say. I accepted a mission about some strange happenings in this village," Alexander replied, looking at the village chief''s face. Hearing his statement, the village chief just stared at him intently he then looked back. "We have no more homes for you to sleep in, also we have no more food and clothing to offer for you. So, it''s up to you if you still want to do the mission," he said as he walked away, leaving the three of them. Alexander didn''t leave his gaze towards the village chief. He looked at him intently. Since he felt that the village chief was so weird he does not know it but, he can feel it. Aeloria, who was in front of Alexander, was embarrassed by their chief''s behavior. Find adventures on empire She looked back and glanced at Alexander in the face, "Sorry about that, Alexander. I think the chief is just so overwhelmed from the problems that this village is going through, right now" she said softly. Alexander just shook his hands, telling her not to mind it, "If you don''t have a place to stay, you can just stay at my house, but it''s not a comfortable place. That is, if you want to," she said in a mosquito voice, since this was her first time inviting a man into her home. Hearing this, Alexander was happy. Of course, as long as he could stay in this village and complete the mission, then there was no problem. "Sure, I can go and live in your place for now. If it''s okay to you that is," he replied with a bright smile. "You''re very welcome. Let''s go now, since they''ve been eyeing at us for a while now" Aeloria replied, with a slight smile, as they began to walk away. The stares of the village people were not leaving his figure, but he didn''t care, "Oh, yeah, about your village chief, there''s something I want to ask," he said while they were on the verge of traveling. "Sure, if there is something on your mind, you can ask," she replied, holding Anya''s palm afraid to lose it again. "About your village chief, is there something strange about him?" he said with his brows upwards. Aeloria narrowed her eyes when she heard this, "There''s nothing strange about our village chief, but..." her voice trailed off in the end. "But what?" Alexander said with a scrutinizing gaze. "Well, I don''t know what to say because, our village chief is always a cheerful and a welcoming type of person. But this attitude changed about three weeks ago. And this is when those beasts started to attack and raid our village nonstop. We don''t know what the specific reason for this sudden change, but I think it''s just because he was tired" she said lost in her thoughts. "But even though his attitude changed, our village chief''s heart is still pure as ever. Sometimes he offered us food so we don''t starve, making him our savior in this time of crisis," Aeloria uttered, feeling grateful for their chief''s heroic deeds. But to Alexander, this didn''t sound right at all, "Helping? Giving away food to the starving? The story doesn''t add up at all," he muttered inwardly. From his observation, the village chief was more than meets the eye. If they were in a time of crisis, why was everyone in the village was starving and looked so malnourished? And why was he the only one who seemed so healthy and full of vitality? Also, where did his food come from? His clothes didn''t even have any grime or tatters. It seemed like he wasn''t under any poverty at all. Alexander racked his mind, wondering what that village chief was hiding, but decided to put it aside for now since he still had a lot of time before the mission ended. Suddenly, he saw that Aeloria stopped in her tracks, making him stand still as well. "We have arrived," Aeloria spoke, as she looked back towards him. Seeing where they lived Alexander felt bad from the both of them, the house appears to be an old, abandoned wooden structure. Its roof is made of wooden shingles, many of which are missing or damaged, indicating significant wear and tear. The walls are constructed from horizontal logs, also weathered and deteriorating and some parts are even missing. Making any animals or insects to have access to the place. There''s a single window on the left side, and an open doorway in the center. Surrounding this house are big trees. When they got inside, Alexander could see that there was really not a lot of things inside. There was only a fireplace for cooking food, and a single mud pot for making soups or boiling water and some bowls and spoons. In the corner, there was a bed a crude one at that. It consisted of uneven splintered planks of wood randomly arranged and barely held together. There was no mattress, just a thin layer of straw that did little to soften the hardness of the wood beneath. The bed seemed more like a rough platform, providing a slight elevation off the ground but offering little comfort at the least. Seeing Alexander inspecting the place, she was embarrassed, since this was the only thing she could offer. "I''m very sorry if this wasn''t what you were expecting. It''s just that life is so hard these days," she said, with her cheeks red. Alexander just smiled at this and didn''t feel like it was bad at all. When he was thrown away, he always slept in the streets. At that time he even almost died from the cold weather. Every night, he could only think of a solution, and this was what drove him to work in order to live in a comfortable place. Even though it was hard at first after getting the hold of it, like picking up trash and selling it. he made a small house in the garbage camp, making him at least fell at ease. But it did not end their after a few weeks some homeless person took his home driving him away. He couldn''t fight the man since there were two of them, and he was so young at that time. With his weak strength, what could he do? So, he could only leave unwillingly even though he''d made that small house from garbage stuff. It took him weeks to make it so comfortable. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, this time he doubled his work, and after accumulating much money, he finally lived in a small rental house that he could pay for 500 pesos each month. Even though the space was small, there was no electricity, and the rental room was filled with cobwebs, spiders, and cockroaches, he was happy to have a roof over his head. He still felt happy since he now had a sense of home. So after a few years, he finally had a stable job as a construction worker. Even though he was still young, the foreman didn''t really want to accept him, but after begging him for hours, he gave him work that paid him about 100 pesos every day. Since his work wasn''t a heavy load type of job, the only thing he needed to do was assist the workers. Reminiscing these memories, he couldn''t help but sigh at how hard life had been for him, "Don''t worry about it. I''ve tried living in the streets when I was young, if you want to know," he said, while pursing his lips. Aeloria just made a low giggle as she looked at Alexander without any shirt to cover his upper body, "Don''t you feel cold? Wait, I have a boy''s shirt in here. I wonder if you can wear this," she said as she exited the house and went just beside the her home. There was a small thin rope, probably for hanging clothes. That is tied from two trees facing each other. She took a brown T-shirt that was made of low-quality fabric. It wasn''t dirty, since she''d washed it and left it hanging there. Aeloria then went back inside and passed the clothes towards Alexander. He didn''t waste any time and wore the T-shirt that was given to him. Even though the clothes were of low quality and felt a little rough against his skin, he didn''t feel any discomfort at all. "Um, Alexander, could you please take care of Anya for a while? I haven''t showered for two days because I''ve been looking for Anya, making me so dirty and stinky. Could you take care of her for a while, while I clean myself? It won''t be long," she said, looking down. Her face was red, mentioning this kind of stuff, while she caressing her shoulders. "Sure, you can leave Anya with me while you go. Don''t worry, she''s a well-behaved child," he replied with a smile, as he took Anya''s hands from her palm. Aeloria thanked him, then went out of the house. Since it was afternoon, the bright sun was still hanging high above the sky. Anya then let go of his hands and went into the bed, closing her eyes. Feeling her calm breaths, he smiled slightly. "This little girl must be tired after all that walking," he muttered inwardly, afraid of disturbing the little girl''s slumber. Alexander then went out and observed the place. The house was located on the far side of the village, nestled close to a tall rocky mountain. This location was dangerous, since if an earthquake occurred, it would destroy the place, or possibly some lives might be taken away in the process. The place was surrounded by trees, and if possible, some beasts might attack this area, since this location was already in the wild. Alexander then circled the house, and after that, he jumped to a tree, wanting to see the surroundings clearly. So he tried to hop from tree to tree, and now he got a good idea of his surroundings. Then he saw that there was a flowing river located close to him. Hopping for just a few more trees and standing in a branch, the flowing river was clean and spotless. And what caught his sight was that there was a woman there, cleaning the grime and dirt from her flawless body. He could clearly see her unclothed appearance from up here. Alexander couldn''t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva on his throat, seeing this scene. The way her hand moved gracefully from her chest and abdomen all the way down to her knees and toes. Her plump breasts swayed gently. He even saw her pink nipples from up here, making him dazed. When Aeloria changed position and was now longer facing his direction, and he could almost see her garden, with that he hurriedly left, afraid that what he was doing right now was clearly wrong. Aeloria, who glanced at her surroundings warily, as if someone was looking at her, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. "Is it just my imagination?" she frowned, as she continued cleaning herself in the river. While Alexander went his way back to the house, after arriving, he went inside and sat just a few steps away from Anya, who was asleep. He sat in a lotus position and decided to cultivate. As he gathered the energy using the Vital Gathering Technique, there were no changes since he felt that the energy here was so thin. Even his world was much better than this world. But there was something different, other than the energy he was absorbing. An energy that was different and seemed to be a bluish color that''s in the shape of a string, was surrounding the area. He didn''t know what it was since the energy he was familiar with was totally different from this. chapter 51 Anyas Dark Past Just to be safe, he didn''t absorb that bluish energy, but only the regular energy which he usually absorbed. After a few minutes, there were still no changes, and he felt a shadow cast across his face. After opening his eyes, he saw that Aeloria was already done with her routine."Sorry if I took a long time. The dirt and grime were sticking so hard to my skin that it took me a while to get it off," Aeloria said with a blush on her face. Alexander just shook his hands, telling her not to mind it. Remembering the scene, he could not help blush from what he had done. "Let''s go outside. Anya seems to be sleeping. Let''s not disturb her by making noise," he said in a low voice. Aeloria nodded her head as she took the first step to exit the small wooden house. When they were outside, they went to a table where there were two seats made out of rock. Alexander sat down while Aeloria sat in the opposite direction, so they were now facing each other. Alexander gazed at her intently. She was actually much more beautiful when there was no dirt and mud covering her. She was a beauty that even Alexander was taken back by the huge change. If she was back in his world, every entertainment company would likely hire her for an unimaginable price. "Oh yeah, you didn''t give me any reply when I asked you this earlier. Is it okay to ask? Are you and Anya related by any chance?" Alexander asked remembering, since their last names were totally different. Hearing his question, she was saddened, and her brows trembled slightly, "Well, I think you already know that me and Anya aren''t really related. I believed that you already know why her parents died, right?" she asked, looking into his eyes. Alexander nodded and replied, "Yes, she said that her father died during a hunting trip when he was attacked by some beast, while her mother died of an illness," he stated, recounting the story Anya had told him back their. Hearing this, her eyes trembled, and a deep sigh escaped her mouth. Alexander, seeing her expression, couldn''t help but think that this wasn''t really the case at all. "Actually, that story wasn''t true about his father dying. They were killed by bandits when he was out hunting for food. The villagers witnessed that they offered him a chance to live if he gave his wife which is Anya''s mother, to them to be their plaything to pass the time. Her father retaliated, but those bandits were stronger, killing him in the process," she said, her voice trembling, thinking about Anya''s life experiencing the loss of love ones as a child. "After that, her mother and Anya were left, but did the bandits leave them? No, they didn''t. One bandit went to their house, and one of the villagers heard their conversation. He said that if she didn''t follow instructions to go to their place every day, her daughter would be implicated in this trouble. Aunt was so scared at that time that she had no choice but to comply, and the villagers were too weak to handle this," she uttered, clenching her teeth. Alexander frowned at this. The story was actually darker than it seemed, "What is the condition that those bandits gave to keep her daughter safe in return?" he said, his voice becoming heavier. "You already know what those conditions are, since what do disgusting men want from a woman anyway? Because Aunt was so beautiful that those bandits couldn''t resist at all. They offered her to serve all of their people back in their lair. She could only resign herself to her fate unwillingly, since Anya was the only thing left for her. She then followed what they instructed. She left early and told me, if it was okay, to take care of Anya while she went to ''work''. She didn''t know that I knew where she was going, and I tried to stop her, but her mind was already made up. At night, when it was dark, and Anya was asleep, a knock came. When I saw it was Aunt, I cried just by seeing her appearance. Her face was so red and pale that it felt like she was out of breath. Enjoy new adventures from empire Her clothes were tattered, and there were many whip marks on her body. Her smile was still hanging on her face, and she looked at me with her eyes that were devoid of any life. Looking down, I could see that her lower part was bleeding continuously, as she fell toward me, gasping for breath," Aeloria said, her eyes were deep red, while gritting her teeth in rage. A line of tears began to fall down her face. Alexander''s face was calm, but his heart was thumping heavily. His emotions were dormant, but they calmed down suddenly, as if he wasn''t affected at all. But one word appeared in his mind, which is to exact "Revenge." Imagine a happy life with your family being ruined for their own amusement. It was something only a madman could do. It was even worse than a devil itself. "Every morning when I woke up, I could see that Aunt was smiling, looking at me, trying to comfort me, telling me she was feeling better than ever before. She then left before Anya could wake up, and when she returned that night, she was in terrible condition again. Her lower part was still bleeding, which greatly affected her health. Every night she came back, more injuries seemed to appear. Her face wasn''t affected, since that''s what the bandits were after. I even saw that her nipples were bitten off, making her cry out in pain when she tried to sleep. This torture kept going on for months, until she got so sick she couldn''t walk anymore but still keep going. Her stomach was now bulging, and she was impregnate by those bastards at that time, but they didn''t care about it, as they kept playing with Aunt. As days passed, she became seriously ill, making a slight move impossible she can only lie down to her sickbed, and she passed away not long after, filled with bad memories of torture," Aeloria sobbed. Her tears kept falling from her eyes, and she even choked sometimes as she told this story. Alexander clenched his hands to a fist and swore in his heart that before he left, he must avenge Anya''s parents so their souls could finally pass away with no resentment. "I''m sorry for asking about this," he spoke. He hadn''t known that by asking this question, he was bringing back those bad memories. Aeloria wiped the tears on her face and tried to make a smile, "Don''t worry about it. Since you know Anya, knowing this is information is good," she said softly. "But how did Anya not know about this situation?" he asked, narrowing his gaze. Aeloria just sighed and replied, "That''s because Aunt kept this a secret from her, afraid that she would hold resentment in her heart. At that time, when Aunt was leaving, Anya had been looking for her, and she could only see her in the middle of the night, tired and sleepy, so she had no idea. After that month, she only saw her for the first time not leaving their home, which is when she was sick. So those were their last moments before Aunt passed away," she said, as she hung her head. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But that was a very long time ago. It''s been a year since her parents died," she continued. Alexander nodded his head as he asked another serious question, "They did come back?" His voice was calm as he said this. Aeloria nodded her head in fear and replied, "When Aunt passed away after a year. They came back, and one of them turned their target on me and gave me the same option as Aunt. I was so angry and scared at the same time, but I treated Anya as my little sister, starting from when she was just a child, since Aunt always helped me when I was young back then. So I agreed to their request, and just by seeing his ugly smile made me so enraged," she said, her nostrils flaring with anger. "But luckily, that day was the start of the trouble. This is when the beasts started attacking the village. So, when the bandits heard this, they tried to go near the area to capture both me and Anya, but because of the large amount of beasts that were being attracted by our village, they fled in fear and never bothered me again in the past three weeks," she said in relief, but the death of their village because of the calamity made her not happy about this. Alexander couldn''t help but sigh in relief, since Aeloria didn''t experience what Anya''s mother went through, since it could have been a disaster and a dark memory to be remembered. His eyes then narrowed as he asked something, "Did your village chief not do anything when this happened?" "No, he''s powerless at that moment. Since if he wants to partake in it, all of the villagers will also be caught in the spiral as well," she replied, answering Alexander''s question. "Powerless?" he muttered inwardly, deep in thought. He sensed that the village chief was more than meets the eye. His gut told him that the chief wasn''t normal, since he felt something weird about him. But since his mission was to find the culprit, then the old man was his first suspect. Alexander then stood up, wanting to investigate the reason why these beasts were attracted to this village. Seeing him stand, Aeloria glanced at him, wondering what he wanted to do. Seeing her questioning look, he smiled at her of course, "I''ll be out and investigate. I''ll be back, and you don''t need to gather food for today, since it will be dangerous at this time. I''ll return bringing lunch," he said with a smile. He then diverted his glance to the forest and walked his way, bidding farewell. Aeloria was about to say something, but he had already walked in. She was worried that bad things must happen to him, but when she remembered Anya telling her about how he single-handedly dealt with a werebear, she calmed down a bit, but the worry was still there. Alexander, who was inside the place checking the area, hopped from tree to tree, circling the village. He didn''t feel anything abnormal at all. After circling the area, there were no beasts, but only animals that were not ferocious. And only herbivores were found. "What''s the source of this trouble?" he muttered, deep in thought. After hanging in the tree for about an hour and seeing that the sun was about to set, he decided to return. But first, he needed to bring lunch. He directed his way to the river, from where Aeloria had cleaned herself. If he was right, that river must be filled with fish. After hopping like a ninja, leaving afterimages from tree to tree, he arrived at the serene river. Alexander then jumped down from above. As his feet touched the ground, he only took off his shorts and T-shirt so his clothes wouldn''t get wet. Yes, he wouldn''t get cold, but sleeping in wet clothes was uncomfortable don''t you think? With just his boxer shorts, he then went into the water, which reached over his waist only. He focused his attention on the clean water. And he could even see its bottom, making it easy for him to spot the fish that were swimming merrily, not knowing the impending danger is closing in on them. With a shoot of his arms through the water, the speed was so fast that it caught the fish. With a grip the fish couldn''t get away, it felt like it was being held by an iron grip that no amount of movement could make its body free. Chapter 53 Chaoter 52 Eating a good meal When he felt the water was nowhere anymore, it tried to wiggle in retaliation, but it was useless. Alexander just looked at the fish in amusement and threw it offshore. The ripples he created were so strong that they scared the fish in the river."You better hide little fishy," he muttered with his tongue licking his lips. Then he disappeared from his spot, appearing to the fish that thought he was safe. When it felt that its body was being gripped, removing its freedom to move, then felt the river water was gone and it was flying to the land, it jumped crazily trying to breathe. Alexander did this repeatedly, catching 10 fish in no time. Just five fish were already enough for a three-family household since the size he caught was over 18-20 cm tall, which is big. [You killed level 2 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 1 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 1 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 1 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 2 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] Seeing this notification, he nodded because the system really did what he wanted to do, it is to show the killed beast and animal levels when being unalive. He didn''t feel anything by getting 0 exp points, since he knew that his level was high and killing a fish wouldn''t increase it. Alexander then walked back ashore, donning his clothes. He took the fish from the ground and carried it all back to his current home. The sun was already not visible in the sky, and the place was already dark. When he arrived, he saw that Anya was playing by using a stick to draw something in the ground. Glancing sideways and seeing the figure of a man walking towards her, she was scared, but seeing his face, she smiled brightly and shouted. "Big Sister! Big Brother Alex is back with lots of fishhh!" she said excitedly, throwing the stick in her arms far away as she ran towards Alexander. Hearing this, a woman inside the house walked out. Seeing Alexander with lots of fish, she was surprised. She hurriedly walked towards him and looked at the fish in his arms in a closer view. "This is a lot," she said with amazement. This food in front of her was something she could only dream of having. Alexander just smiled at this, "Give this to me, Alex since you were the one who caught it. I''ll cook it for you to eat," Aeloria spoke softly, she''s like a housewife talking to her husband. He nodded and passed the fish to her. After taking it, she began to skin it using a knife made from sharp metal. Although the blade seemed overused and had lost some of its sharpness, Aeloria was already accustomed to it, making her cut the food with ease. She then walked behind the house to wash it. Over there was a large container made of stone, dug into the ground. This stone basin, carved out and filled with water, served as their makeshift washbasin. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alexander, seeing this, didn''t know that there was actually clean water there. She then cleaned the fish and after cutting it, she went inside and made a fire. Of course, Alexander was outside during this period, just sitting at the table with Anya sitting on his lap while playing with a wooden stick. Discover hidden content at empire He played with his hair making it a ponytail and other kind of hairstyle, but of course only the basic ones since his not really a hairstyler. Then he smells a sweet aroma inside the house, Alexander saw that the surrounding place was dark, so he decided to lighten up the place. Since it was also a great way to scare any kind of animal in radius. Using a branch, he lit up the stick making a small fire until it began to grow in size. Now the place was much brighter than before. When he stood up from the campfire, he saw that Aeloria was holding the cooking pot, made of mud, all the way to the table. Alexander then stood up and assisted her. He took the hot pot and put it on the table. Aeloria then went back inside and took three bowls and two spoons. She only had two spoons since it was just the two of them. She tried giving a spoon to Anya and Alexander. But Alexander declined since Aeloria would be spoon less. And since the soup made out of fish inside was hot, how could she blow on it? Should she blow from the bowl? Then it would take a long time. No matter how much she tried to give it away, Alexander declined, making her stop and decide to use the spoon. As Aeloria took each bowl and poured it with a bowl of fish soup, by just opening the lid, the delicious aroma wafted in the air. Making Alexander''s stomach grumble in hunger, hearing this, Aeloria just smiled and giggled at the same time. Making her look cute, while on the other hand, Anya was laughing as she pointed at Alexander''s stomach. "Hahaaha, Big Brother Alex stomach can''t wait to taste Big Sister''s fish soup," she laughed softly. Her voice was a good ring in his ears. "Yeah, yeah. Your big brother is hungry," he said with a laugh, not embarrassed at all. As Aeloria placed the bowl of soup in front of him, Alexander then first blew on it and sipped on the broth. He was amazed. As Alexander took his first sip of the soup, he was immediately captivated by its otherworldly taste. The broth was rich and savory, yet it had a subtle sweetness that danced on his tongue. The flavors were layered, with hints of tangy berries and aromatic herbs that mingled perfectly with the delicate fish. He couldn''t help but take another sip, savoring the complexity of the flavors that seemed to transport him to a different world. "Aeloria, this soup is incredible. Why is it so delicious?" Alexander asked, his curiosity was piqued. Aeloria just smiled, she was very pleased with his reaction, "The secret is in the ingredients?" she began. "To tell you I use Glow Berries, to add a unique tangy sweetness. If you want to know they grow in sunny meadows and are known for their enchanting flavor. For seasoning, well I added Spice Seeds, which give it that aromatic depth and a hint of licorice. And of course, Earth Root, a root vegetable that adds a subtle sweet aroma to the broth. All these ingredients combined create a harmonious blend that makes the soup taste so special." she spoked. Aeloria couldn''t help but feel proud seeing the two finish her delicious meal. She began organizing the bowls and spoons on the table, but Alexander wanted to help and she stopped him. She then went behind the wooden house where the clean water was used to clean the used utensils. Aeloria then called Anya to clean up so they could finally get a good night''s sleep. Anya listened to her big sister without saying anything. She was very cooperative. While Alexander, was full and satisfied, and was already up the tree sitting on its branch with his back against the bark. He gazed up and looked at the bright full moon. He glanced at the two of them playing and enjoying the moment. Looking back at the sky, he couldn''t help but smile. "I can only be with them for a few weeks. It''s better to clear any threats and problems to ensure their safety before I go home," Alexander thought to himself. Aeloria and Anya then went inside the house. Aeloria took some clothes to cover Anya up so she wouldn''t get cold. "Anya, go to sleep for now. The night is going to be long," Aeloria smiled as she squeezed Anya''s cheeks, which were very fluffy like a cat. She then scanned the place and Anya saw that Alexander was not there. "Big Sister, where is Big Brother Alex?" she mumbled in a low voice. Hearing her, Aeloria also scanned the place. She was about to stand up on the bed and look for him when a figure of a man became visible in the doorway. It was none other than Alexander. "Big Brother Alex, are you also going to sleep beside Anya?" Anya asked, looking at Alexander in the eye. Alexander hearing this, was stunned. He then glanced towards Aeloria who lowered her head while blushing. Her cheeks were in a shade of red. He was about to decline when he heard her speak up. "It''s... fine if you want... to," she said in a mosquito voice while her eyes didn''t meet his gaze. Hearing this, Alexander swallowed a mouthful of saliva. He could see her posture, which was really hot, added by her embarrassed and flirtatious actions. But Alexander could see that the bed was not really that big. If he decided to sleep in there, then skin contact would happen with just a slight movement, and also, he can''t just let Aeloria and Anya feel uncomfortable since the space was not that wide for the three of them. "Oh, don''t worry about it, I''ll just go and sleep outside. Don''t worry about it. Good night!" he said in a relaxing tone as he waved his hands and looked back, closing the door. Seeing him leave the house and not accept her suggestion, she sighed in relief. Since she knew that if he did get in, she couldn''t sleep in that situation since he was a man and she was a woman. But there''s some kind of loss deep down. "Am I not beautiful?" she mumbled inwardly, but shook this thought away as she hugged Anya, and both of them closed their eyes and went to sleep. Alexander, who was outside, was deep in thought. When he was inside, he could feel that the gust of cold wind was entering the house. Since there were a lot of holes, and if there was rain, it would be bad because they couldn''t sleep if that happened. "I should fix the house tomorrow, cover the roof and walls. Since cold is not only the problem, bugs, insects, and beasts are also a problem," he mumbled inwardly. After walking for a few steps, he slightly bent his knees and sprung upwards. He then landed above the tree. He sat in a lotus position as he began cultivating his technique, [Vital Drawing Technique] was now activated. The strings of energy in the surrounding area were absorbed by him. He can still feel the presence of the bluish-string of energy. But he doesn''t know what this is. He even tried to attract it towards him to absorb it, but what if it''s some kind of weird and dangerous energy? Since he cannot take a risk, he just put that aside, as he cultivates normally. At this time, there''s no unusual thing that happened that night as the day passed. As he opened his eyes, he felt that his power increased by only 10%, making him frown. The energy here is really relatively low, making his cultivation so slow. He then gazed up at the sky and saw that the moon was about to set. So he stood up and decided to find some breakfast for their morning food. As the gust of wind brushed towards him, he vanished in the spot, hopping from tree to tree. Chapter 53 The Real Danger Alexander, who was running with the wind accompanying him above the trees, his speed was so fast that a whooshing sound could be heard. His location right now was already outside the location of the village.The forest he was in had now become a little unfamiliar, but he had already memorized the way back. So he went even deeper, stopping from his tracks, he sensed something. A faint energy seemed to be attracting his attention. He glanced at the waft of energy that he sensed, and it was located in the east side. Where trees, branches, vines, and tall grass were covering the way. He did not go in using the usual actions, but used the vines to glide himself through the way. In the forest, he moved like Tarzan, gliding effortlessly through the trees. The closer he got, the stronger the energy he felt. This made him wonder about the source of this. He continued his way, using vines to leap up and land on a tree branch. In the spot, there was a big clear zone over 30 meters wide, situated in the mountain range. A plant was placed in the center. Behind the plant, in a big rocky wall, where there was a large hole, that is dark as the night. "What kind of plant is that?" Alexander mumbled, glancing at the plant. He couldn''t get a good look at it since it seemed like a mist was covering the plant. He was about to jump to take a look at it when, suddenly, he saw that a bush far away trembled and a big animal appeared in his sight. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the bush trembled, a large, menacing creature emerged from behind it. The beast stood tall with an imposing aura, it was mix between a wolf and a bear, with a muscular build and dark shaggy fur covering its body. Its head was wolf-like, complete with sharp, bared teeth and glowing red eyes. The creature''s pointed ears twitched as it moved, and a long, thick tail swished behind it, adding to its intimidating presence. Standing well over 9 feet tall, the creature''s powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws made it clear that it was a formidable and dangerous animal. Its piercing gaze were locked onto the cave its seems like it saw something, suddenly a strong presence is overwhelming the place it even sends a shiver down his spine as he gazed at the monster that is slowly revealing itself. It was a large, rat which is a truly imposing sight. It stands over five feet tall standing on its two legs, making it towering even for a human. Its fur is a striking blend of black and fiery orange, almost as if it''s been dipped in molten lava. The orange sections of its fur glow with an inner light, giving it an otherworldly appearance. Its head is distinctly like a rat of course, with a long, pointed snout and sharp, bared teeth. Its eyes are glowing red, adding to its menacing expression. Its ears are large and pointed, and they twitch constantly, giving it an alert and watchful demeanor. The creature''s body is muscular but also slim, with thick, powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws. Its long, thick tail swishes behind it as it moves, adding to its intimidating presence. The weapon it held in his right hand is a long and sharp, it''s like a spear, but it also has a curved blade at the end, like a scythe. It''s a truly unique and deadly weapon, and it''s clear that the creature is skilled in using it. "A rat using a weapon, righttt!" Alexander, who was above the branch and was covered by the thick branches, was speechless as he looked at this scene. The creature that looked like a wolf but in a bizarre way, since its face was the only thing that resembled the face of a wolf, but only 20% was the same look as a wolf. If you describe it, it seems to be like an alien creature than a wolf. He looked at the rat that was glowing like molten lava, gnarling his teeth while releasing a growl. The rat just screeched to assert dominance from his large opponent. As it pounced, the rat did not face it head-on but dodged. The wolf-like creature disappeared in its position, leaving a gust of wind in its wake. The rat, undeterred by its speed, dodged it with great speed. Alexander, who was watching this battle, was astonished. The speed of the two beasts was too hard to be seen. Even he could only see two images appearing and disappearing in place. But he could hear a clanking sound, while a gust of wind force spread out. "What the heck are these two beasts made of?" Alexander mumbled inwardly, watching the battling. Then the rat held the spear-scythe on his hands as he spun it in his hands, as he rushed, breaking the sound barrier. The wolf-like creature had no time to dodge, when the rat was in range, he stopped and truck his weapon in just one motion. The attack released at least 20 consecutive attacks with great speed. Caught off guard, the beast was pushed back by hitting its chest. It puked a large amount of blood as it rolled on the ground. As it got up, its eyes were black like the abyss. Then the fur on its skin turned black, giving off a black mist in the surroundings. Then it opened its large mouth and condensed a large ball of dark energy as it released it. The rat, look at it with pure disgust in his gaze, he disappeared in his place with great speed. When he appeared, he had already arrived in front of the beast. Using the bottom part of the spear-scythe he ducked and thrust it up, hitting its jaw, closing its mouth. The condensed ball exploded in its mouth, as a large amount of black smoke seeped out of its mouth and nose. Its eyes were turning white as it swung from left to right like a drunk animal. It was totally defeated by the rat easily, like it was just a passerby in a roadside. Alexander couldn''t help but be afraid of the rat. The speed and power of its blows are not something he can contend with. As the wolf-like creature staggered, the rat burst out in his speed, closing in the distance. As the gust of wind, he was already behind the beast as he looked back at it. The wolf-like creature was not moving anymore and just stood there lifelessly. Suddenly, its body slowly cut into two, by something sharp, as it slowly dropped to the ground. The blood was slow to react that after it falls, it began to soak the grassy plain. Alexander, seeing how horrifying and cruel the rat in front of him was, sensed a huge dread upon him. As he looked at the rat, he saw that it also gazed at him. Seeing the fiery eyes of the beast, he was scared, very scared. But it just glanced at him as it goes back to his cave, making him feel relieved when he saw that it did not bother to kill him. He then decided to just go back, since it was already about to struck six in the morning. "I must not go deeper again. If I''m right, those two must be beasts that have reached level 50 or above," Alexander thought, as he took a sigh. He was still a vegetable on a chopping board in this world. For now, he must be careful from now on. If he died so suddenly by his stupid actions, that would be the worst way to fail the mission. As he traced his way back, he spotted two boars. "Lucky me, a breakfast presents itself to me," Alexander said with a smile, as he licked his lips. Then he disappeared above the tree, and when he reappeared, he just hit the head of the two beasts, knocking them unconscious. The two animals were so big that even one seemed like enough, but for two? It will be more than enough. Carrying the two back, he arrived at the familiar river. After crossing it, he arrived back and saw that Aeloria was already awake. She seemed to be looking for someone, and as he arrived, he dropped the two boars on the ground, creating a ruckus. Read latest stories on empire Hearing the sudden loud sound, Aeloria shifted her head sideways and saw it was Alex. She then walked in large strides and seeing that he actually caught two big boars for breakfast, she was in awe yet again. "Alex, did you capture this?" she said filled with questions. "Of course, who else other than me, who was present here can capture these two?" Alexander said while pursing his lips. Even though the question she asked was so stupid, it was just that it was hard to believe. Two big boars that were the size of a 10-year-old child were brought here. She knows that this kind of animal can only be found in the outer skirts of the village. Carrying these back would take a long time since carrying two of these would be such a hustle for a normal person. But for Alexander, he was not a normal person. So, he cannot relate to their struggles at all. "You should rest for now, while I make breakfast," Aeloria said with a smile, motioning for Alexander to sit. Alexander nodded, and he couldn''t help but swallow a mouthful of breath, as he couldn''t wait to eat. The food made by Aeloria is the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. He couldn''t wait to taste it. Seeing his expression, Aeloria couldn''t help but smile as she took the two boars behind the house to be cut. After that, Alexander saw a little girl come out from the house, where his eyes were still dull and sleepy. Anya who just woke up and was still in a hazy state, walked towards Alexander. "Big brother Alex, I want to pla...." she did not finish her words, as her head fell towards his thighs, as she closed her eyes and slept again. Alexander couldn''t help but smile from this, so he carried her in his palms, placing her on his lap. As she slept soundlessly, after a while, she only woke up when Aeloria was done from cooking. The three of them then had a hearty meal, as Alexander swallowed the meat like a devourer. The taste was truly magnificent. Aeloria couldn''t help but be proud seeing Alexander enjoying her homemade dish so much. Suddenly, there was a man in tattered clothes who came running to their house. Chapter 54 Beast Attacks His breath was heavy as he ran like crazy in the path leading to Aeloria''s place. Alexander, with his keen senses, heard this of course. So, he stopped eating and glanced at that direction.Sensing him stop, Aeloria was confused, so she also shifted her gaze and saw a man she was familiar with. It was a man that seemed like a middle-aged one. He was malnourished with unkept hair, and his face was filled with black lines and dark circles. "Aeloria, this is an emergency, the beasts are invading again. Hurry and gather at the village chief''s place," the man shouted, as he increased his pace. When he arrived, he saw something that surprised him, "This, where did she have this much food?" he mumbled inwardly. But when he saw there was a man, which he clearly remembered yesterday who accompanied Anya back, he realized this man must be a hunter. Now this clearly explains the situation. Seeing his expression, which was terrified a while ago, and his hasty voice, she panicked as well so she did not finish her meal. "Alex, we should hurry now, the beast is attacking the village again," she uttered as she held Anya''s hands strongly as she stood up from her seat. Alexander did not dilly-dally as well and stood up. Even though he was not afraid, his mission was to protect the village. Even if there was no mission involving saving the lives of the villagers, he would still help. "Sure, let''s go now," he replied as all of them left the place. As they ran down the path leading to the village, three wolves suddenly appeared in their sight. The beasts bared their teeth, snarling with menace. Anya, Aeloria, and the man were terrified at the sight of the wolves. As the wolves pounced, fear gripped them, and they instinctively stepped back. The man, was frozen in panic, he even stumbled and fell to the ground. Anya, however, remained calm, watching without fear, knowing they would be alright. She was right. As one of the wolves lunged, Alexander moved like a bullet, swinging his arm. His blow struck the wolf''s face, which distorted as the sickening sound of flesh tearing filled the air. The other two wolves, who are still in mid-air, were momentarily stunned. But Alexander wasted no time. He turned to the next wolf and delivered a powerful uppercut to its chest, sending it flying upwards. In one swift motion, he kicked the wolf in its exposed side, launching it like a broken toy into a nearby tree. The force of the impact shattered its spine. It took exactly three seconds as the three of them died, without even having the chance to fight back. Alexander then motioned them to continue running. The two were shocked from how fast he was to clear these three beasts. [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] [You killed a level 6 silver wolf. You''ve gained 4 exp] [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] "Is this man a warrior? Finally we are saved for now," he said, filled with happiness as he trembled with excitement. "He''s actually this strong," Aeloria mumbled with an astonishing expression. Without thinking any further, they pressed on toward the village. When Alexander and the others arrived, they saw a horrifying sight, beasts were attacking from all sides, they are too many to be counted. The bodies of the villagers lay scattered on the ground, their organs and flesh torn were apart and being devoured by the beasts. Alexander spotted a variety of creatures like, wolves, bears, flying monsters, and even snakes. His brow furrowed as he wondered what could be attracting such a diverse horde to this place. As he gazed at the lifeless bodies of the villagers, a surge of anger welled up inside him, and his killing intent flared. He fought to keep control, knowing it would be dangerous to lose himself to rage now. "Go and gather in a safe place. I''ll handle this," Alexander said, his voice steady as he moved swiftly, disappearing within seconds. Aeloria was about to speak, but Alexander had already vanished from her sight. She just nodded and led the group to safety. Nearby, a man was desperately crawling on the ground, tears streaming down his face as he clutched his injured thigh, which had been savagely scratched by sharp claws. As he struggled to survive, a flying creature that is part crow, part eagle, swooped down toward him. Hearing its screech from above, he knew his time had come. "I lived a good life," he muttered, closing his eyes as the creature''s claws closed in on him. Continue your journey with empire Suddenly, Alexander appeared in a gust of wind. With a punch carrying the force of at least 30,000 pounds, he struck the creature in the chest, sending it hurtling like a cannonball. It crashed into the ground, leaving a trail of dirt in its wake. [You killed a level 11 Skyhawk. You''ve gained 11 exp.] The man, realizing he had been saved, was about to express his gratitude. But before he could, Alexander was already gone, moving like lightning as he massacred every beast in his path. It seemed as if he was teleporting, appearing at each creature that crossed his sight, leaving destruction in his wake. Alexander moved like a phantom, crushing his enemies each time he appeared. A silver wolf lunged at him, but with a single punch, the beast was sent flying. A snake attempted to coil around him, but he casually sidestepped and grabbed its tail. With a powerful grip, he swung the snake like a whip. As the snake''s massive body spin through the air in a circular motion, it slammed into the two silver wolves and the Skyhawk that were charging at him, causing them to stumble backward. Alexander then yanked the snake''s tail, pulling its head toward him in a daze. In a precise motion, he raised his right hand and brought it down with immense force, like a hammer. The blow struck the snake''s head, pinning it to the ground. The earth trembled under the impact, sending shockwaves and causing the ground to quake. Suddenly, Alexander spotted an old woman running slowly, he can see that she was being pursued by three wild boars, each much larger than normal. Their sharp tusks glistened, and it was clear that one strike could end the woman''s life. "You dare!!!" Alexander roared, his voice booming. His feet slammed into the ground, creating cracks like a spider''s web, and he shot forward like a bullet, closing the distance in an instant. Alexander reached the boar closest to the old woman just in time. With a powerful kick, he struck its exposed side, sending it flying like a car hit by a truck. Without hesitation, he twisted his waist and swung his leg sideways, striking the two other boars that were still stunned. The impact collided with their heads, slamming them together as they tumbled across the ground. "Are you alright, ma''am?" Alexander asked, concerned. The old woman turned and smiled warmly, reaching out to gently touch his cheek, "Young man, I''m fine. Thank you for saving these old bones of mine," she said gratefully. Alexander just smiled back, "You should head to a safe place now, I can''t stay with you this time," he replied, his eyes scanning the bushes and trees where more beasts were emerging. The old woman nodded, "Take care, young man," she said, continuing her slow walk away. Without a second thought, Alexander sprinted toward the approaching wave of beasts, fearless and relentless. The system chimed in his mind: [Berserker Instinct activated]. His eyes glowed a bloodthirsty red, and his killing intent flooded the area. Most beasts would normally hesitate or flee, but not this time. These creatures held their ground, stunning him for a brief moment. With no time to reconsider, Alexander charged into the fray, confronting the beasts head-on. The first beast lunged at Alexander, a monstrous boar with tusks as sharp as spears. Alexander just sidestepped with lightning speed, his fist crashing into the boar''s side with the force of a runaway train. The beast let out a pained roar as it was sent flying, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before he could catch his breath, another beast, a wolf-like creature with glowing eyes pounced on him. Alexander didn''t flinch. Instead, he delivered a powerful uppercut, sending the wolf sprawling back, its body convulsing from the impact. He spun around just in time to dodge the claws of a third beast, a massive bear with fur like steel. Alexander''s fists moved in a blur, each punch landing with bone-crushing force. The bear roared in fury, but Alexander''s relentless barrage left it no chance to strike back. A final, thunderous punch to its jaw sent the massive creature toppling over, utterly defeated. Despite the overwhelming number of beasts, Alexander didn''t even break a sweat. His strength was far beyond anything these creatures could match. He tore through the ranks of the beasts, every move a deadly combination of speed and power. Blood and fur flew in all directions as one by one, the beasts fell at his hands. Yet the onslaught continued, more and more creatures charged at him, their numbers seemingly endless. The ground was already littered with the bodies of fallen beasts. Suddenly, the sky darkened above him as a swarm of flying creatures descended, aiming to tear him apart. Alexander caught the claw of the flying creature mid-air, his eyes was glinting slightly. With tremendous force, he slammed it down, creating a small crater where the beast''s body lay flattened. "System, isn''t my Berserker Instinct skill active? Why aren''t these weaker beasts hesitating or fleeing at all?" Alexander asked, delivering a sharp jab to the chest of a cobra-like snake. The impact was so powerful that it killed the creature instantly. As Alexander continued his rampage, unaware of how many beasts he had slain, the system finally responded. [The reason your skill isn''t working is because the beasts are hypnotized. You can identify this by their glowing red eyes.] This revelation made Alexander pause for a moment, glancing at the creatures. Sure enough, their eyes glowed a sinister red as they charged at him, without hesitation. Questions filled his mind. "There''s a mastermind behind this," he muttered, as he unleashed a powerful palm strike against a wolf''s chest, sending it flying backward. The force of the blow also knocked back the rest of its pack that was right behind it. Despite the chaos, Alexander''s thoughts were racing. Who or what was controlling these beasts? Alexander hadn''t drawn his sword yet, reserving it as his trump card in case there was a hidden enemy. Suddenly, a blade as thin as a needle but sharp as a knife came hurtling toward him. Already on high alert, Alexander noticed it immediately. With a quick lean to the side, he dodged the blade effortlessly. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at a tree hidden by thick leaves. "Found you," Alexander said, grinning from ear to ear, before launching himself like a cannonball, leaping toward the tree where the attack had come from. Chapter 55 As Alexander launched himself toward the tree, a figure suddenly emerged to confront him. The man was cloaked in black from head to toe, his face covered with cloth, revealing only his piercing, emotionless eyes.Without hesitation, Alexander released a full-force palm strike, this time he was not holding back. The strike carried at least 50,000 pounds of force, and the air around him seemed to tremble with the sheer power behind the blow. The cloaked man''s eyes widened as he sensed the lethal intent. He sidestepped at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the strike. The force of Alexander''s palm hit the trunk of the tree behind him, splintering it into pieces. Wood and debris exploded into the air, but the black-cloaked man was quick on his feet and was already moving. In a fluid motion, the man flicked his wrist, and thin, razor-sharp needles shot out from his sleeve, aiming for Alexander''s chest. With a swift backstep, Alexander dodged the attack, the needles whizzing past him and embedding into the ground. But the man wasn''t done. With a snap of his fingers, the needles sprang to life, turning and flying back toward Alexander like guided missiles. Alexander smirked, clearly unfazed by this. With blinding speed, he spun around, deflecting the needles with the back of his hand. The sound of metal clashing against skin echoed as the needles fell uselessly to the ground. "You''ll have to do better than that," Alexander said, his voice was steady, as his eyes locked on his opponent. The man''s expression remained hidden behind the cloth, but his eyes betrayed his frustration. He twirled his fingers again, and from within his cloak, more hidden weapons appeared, this time, a chain with bladed edges. With a flick, the chain snapped forward, slashing through the air like a serpent. Alexander dodged the first strike with ease, but the man was quick, using the chain to redirect his attack. The bladed chain came from different angles, cutting through the air in rapid succession. But Alexander was faster. He dodged each strike, weaving through the air with perfect timing, his movements were fluid yet precise. In a swift motion, he grabbed the chain mid-swing, yanking it hard. The man stumbled forward, his eyes were wide with surprise, as Alexander pulled him closer. With the man off balance, Alexander unleashed a powerful punch toward his torso. The black-cloaked man twisted his body at the last second, narrowly avoiding a direct hit, but the force of the punch grazed him, sending shockwaves through his body. He winced as he felt the raw power of Alexander''s attack, realizing he was outmatched in strength. Desperate, the man quickly leaped back, gaining distance, and with a sharp whistle, the beasts surrounding them suddenly stirred. Wolves, boars, and even flying creatures, all with glowing red eyes, began to close in on Alexander. Their snarls and roars echoed through the forest, but Alexander remained calm, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "So, you''re controlling them," Alexander muttered, his expression hardening. He clenched his fists, his killing intent rising once more. The beasts lunged at him simultaneously, but Alexander moved like a whirlwind. He sidestepped the first wolf, delivering a bone-crushing kick that sent it flying into a nearby boar. The impact knocked both beasts out cold. The flying creatures swooped down from above, but Alexander leaped into the air, delivering a devastating spinning kick that connected with one of the creatures, sending it crashing to the ground. He landed gracefully, his eyes never leaving the cloaked man. Find your next read on empire The black-cloaked man, realizing his beasts were no match for Alexander, drew a short, curved dagger from within his cloak. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it flying toward Alexander''s throat. In one swift motion, Alexander caught the blade between his fingers, stopping it inches from his neck. He crushed the blade with his bare hand, as the metal crumbling into pieces. "You''re running out of tricks," Alexander said coldly, his voice filled with deadly calm. He charged toward the man, who desperately unleashed a barrage of throwing stars and more hidden weapons. But none could find their mark. Alexander deflected each one, closing the distance with terrifying speed. Panicked, the man tried to summon more beasts with another sharp whistle, but Alexander was already upon him. In a blur of motion, Alexander grabbed the man by the arm, twisting it behind his back with a sickening crack. The man let out a pained gasp as Alexander slammed him to the ground with overwhelming force. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black-cloaked man coughed up blood, his body trembling from the pain. His red eyes flickered as he struggled to move. The beasts, sensing their master''s weakness, growled in rage. Alexander stood over the man, his eyes cold and merciless, "Who sent you?" he demanded, his voice sharp and commanding. But the man didn''t answer. Instead, his bloodshot eyes met Alexander''s, filled with both fury and fear. He struggled to speak, but no words came. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his breathing grew ragged. Even in his battered state, the man''s eyes glowed with the same unnatural red light that filled the beasts. Alexander knew there was more to this, someone or something must be pulling the strings. But for now, this enemy was done. The man, heavily injured and barely conscious, glared at Alexander with hatred. His body lay broken, but his eyes burned with defiance. Alexander stood tall, as the beasts around them was circling him it was uncountable since there were also flying creatures above the sky. The black-cloaked man glared up at Alexander, his body broken but his pride was intact. "Kid, I admit you''re strong, but you don''t know who you''ve offended," he growled, his voice laced with fury. Alexander just narrowed his eyes at this and gave a mocking smile, the disdain was clear on his face. "Oh? Care to tell me who I''ve offended? I''m very scared," he taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The man''s eyes glowed even brighter, a blood-red hue that matched the unnatural gleam in the eyes of the surrounding beasts. Alexander was unfazed by this, extending his hand to uncover the man''s face, curious to see who was behind the mask. But just as his fingers were about to reach the cloth, a sudden glint of light shot toward him. A shining needle, moving at lightning speed, aimed directly for Alexander''s head. Without missing a beat, Alexander dodged the projectile, leaning back just in time to avoid the lethal strike. His eyes snapped in the direction the needle had come from. Emerging from the shadows of the forest, another figure clad in black appeared. This one moved with a shadowy movement, his presence exuding a far more dangerous aura than the first. Alexander immediately sensed the shift in the air. The beasts, which had been weaker moments ago, now grew more aggressive, their snarls turning into roars as they began to encircle him. Even the flying creatures overhead swooped lower, their red eyes glowing fiercely. It was as if this new arrival had not only taken control of the beasts but had amplified their bloodlust. The new man in black clothes stood tall, his face also covered, but his eyes were cold, calculating. With a subtle gesture of his hand, more needles appeared between his fingers, glinting ominously in the faint light. "You''ve done enough," the newcomer said, his voice calm but commanding. "Leave him to me." The first man, still on the ground, coughed up more blood but managed a smirk. "You''re lucky," he rasped, his voice weak but filled with venom. "My brother won''t go so easy on you." Before Alexander could respond, the second man flicked his wrist, and a dozen more needles shot toward him, aimed with deadly precision. Alexander leaped back, twisting in mid-air as the needles sliced through the space where he had just been standing. He landed smoothly, eyes locked on the new threat. "Who are you?" Alexander questioned, his voice was firm, though he already had a sense this was no ordinary foe. "You don''t need to know," the second man replied coolly, as the beasts around them grew wilder. Wolves and boars charged at Alexander simultaneously, their movements erratic and ferocious. The ground shook with their stampede, while the flying creatures above began diving toward him, claws and fangs bared. Alexander didn''t hesitate. He moved like a whirlwind, his fists and legs striking down any beast that got too close. One wolf lunged at his throat, but he slammed his elbow into its snout, sending it crashing into a tree. Another boar came from his blind side, but Alexander spun and delivered a crushing kick that snapped its spine in two. Despite his overwhelming strength, the sheer number of beasts was starting to feel endless. Every time he knocked one down, two more seemed to take its place, more berserk and wilder than before. The new man in black watched from a distance, his hand continuously flicking more hidden weapons into the fray. Small blades, needles, and even poisoned darts flew toward Alexander, but he deflected or dodged most of them, though the relentless attacks were starting to pin him down. Realizing the situation was becoming more precarious, the second man took advantage of the chaos. Using the distraction of the beasts and the barrage of weapons, he dashed toward his fallen comrade, who was barely clinging to consciousness. Alexander saw the movement and knew what was coming, "You''re not escaping," he growled, charging forward through the wave of beasts. But the second man was fast, much faster than the first. In one fluid motion, he grabbed his injured comrade by the arm and pulled him up, all while expertly dodging Alexander''s strike. "Too slow," the man said, his voice was icy, as he launched another volley of needles toward Alexander''s face. This time, Alexander had no choice but to pause and defend, swatting the needles out of the air with rapid strikes. Chapter 56 Using the momentary distraction, the second man whistled sharply, and the beasts went into a frenzy. They rushed at Alexander with reckless abandon, their glowing red eyes filled with madness.Boars, wolves, snakes, and the flying creatures all charged at once, creating a wall of fur, claws, and fangs between Alexander and the retreating pair. By the time Alexander fought his way through the onslaught, the two men had already escaped into the dense forest, vanishing from sight. He could still hear the distant howls and roars of the beasts under their control, but they, too, began to fade as the men withdrew. Alexander stood amidst the carnage, surrounded by the bodies of slain beasts. His eyes narrowed in frustration, watching as the last trace of his clues disappeared into the shadows. "They got away," he muttered, clenching his fists. Find more to read at empire But he knew this wasn''t over. Whoever they were, they had made a grave mistake. The next time they crossed paths again, he would be ready, and not give them any chances. If he took out his sword, he believed that he would have won that battle, but he wasn''t confident if he really could handle it. Since he hadn''t used any sword in his whole life, this time he must at least practice how to hold a sword, rather than slashing it stupidly if he ever uses it. But if it really came to a long-lasting battle, he could win if he used ''Berserker Instinct'' to the max. But since there were a lot of innocent people here, the risk of using it to the max outweighs the benefits. The place was filled with the smell of blood, and there were no more beasts to be spotted. Suddenly, behind him just 30 steps away from his current location, were the villagers, looking at this scene. They couldn''t help but gasp in astonishment. One for all vs all for one, and he actually won. They then loudly cheered for Alexander with their eyes shining brightly. They couldn''t help but be happy that the crisis was solved by this young warrior in front of them. It was different from the rest of the warriors who had died in this place, but to respect the dead, they did not blame those warriors since they fought with their lives for their safety. Alexander hearing this loud commotion, looked back and saw the villagers cheering for him wildly. Then a little girl ran towards him, filled with a bright smile. [Berserker Instinct was Deactivated] The system reminded him as his reddened eyes turned back to normal. The death aura that surrounds him also disappeared without a trace. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Big brother Alexander, are you okay?" Anya said after arriving in front of him. Alexander just smiled from this little girl who seems to care about his well-being so much. He lowered his legs a little and pinched her cheeks. "Of course, this big brother of yours is strong. What kind of beast can I not handle?" he said with a laugh, making the atmosphere more light. Then a beautiful woman ran towards them gracefully. It was none other than Aeloria as she arrived towards Alexander. She looked at him dotingly, her eyes were soft as she looked at him, filled with concern. "Don''t worry, I''m fine. This low-level beast couldn''t injure me," Alexander said, comforting her, without letting her speak. Hearing his she inspects him for a while and, she could see that he was fully invigorated and seems like he wasn''t really suffering. She released a smile that was both gentle and beautiful as it could be. "That''s good that you''re okay now," she spoke, deep within her heart. The villagers behind also walked towards him, the man who was being assisted by another man by putting his arms towards his shoulder, looked at Alexander gratefully. "Young warrior, thank you very much for saving me at that time. If not, I would have died earlier," the man said, full of thanks in his tone. Then an old lady walked in slow steps and smiled as well, "Young warrior, thank you very much for saving this village and also for helping me earlier. My bones were too old that I cannot even fight back," the old lady sighed as she spoke towards Alexander. Alexander then was bombarded by a lot of thanks from the villagers, and suddenly, a man walked towards them, filled with black lines on his face. Seeing this, Alexander narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man. "Village Chief is back!" one of the villagers exclaimed as he looked at the man in his fifties, walking towards them. "It''s really the village chief, we''re safe now," another one uttered, seeming like the chief is the one who saved them. All of them welcomed the village chief as he walked towards Alexander, filled with a smile, as he returned the greetings towards the villagers. Finally, he arrived in front of Alexander, his face was still filled with smiles. But for Alexander, he could feel endless malice and the killing intent he released was palpable. This made him narrow his eyes and really wants to expose this man in front of him. But he couldn''t, since he had no evidence, and he didn''t see any injuries on his body at all. To help him with this case. "Young warrior, thank you for saving the village when I was out for the moment because of some trouble. I, Bernard, am really grateful for what you have done," the village chief said, feeling grateful, but the killing intent in his smiling eyes was becoming more thicked. Alexander just smiled from this and decided to wait for his actions. He wasn''t afraid and after he had found some evidence, then he could just expose this Bernard guy in front of him. He saw that the village chief extended his hands towards him for a handshake. He didn''t disappoint him and also extended his hands. As both of them shook hands, he felt that his hands were being gripped tightly, but he just sneered inwardly. "Everyone, give thanks to this young warrior that we have survived for today. For now, gather the corpses of these beasts. With a lot of them, we are not going to worry about being starving for a long time," the village chief spoke aloud, looking at the villagers, filled with smiles. The villagers heeded his words and began to gather the corpses of all the dead beasts with smiles on their faces. They were excited because all of them were starving and really wanted to eat meat. With a lot of dead beasts, they will not starve for two weeks with this. Bernard, seeing their actions, just smiled and put his hands behind him as he left the crowd of people as he was far away. His face turned ferocious and serious. His expression changed from sunny to night in just a second. Alexander was observing this village chief''s actions, wondering if he was going to do something. But he didn''t, making him narrow his eyes, "I''ll give you some time to prepare," he sneered, looking at his fading figure. "Should we go back first?" Alexander said to Aerolia, who was right beside him, looking at the villagers filled with happiness on her face. Since she knows how scarce the food is in this village, thanks to Alex, she can see hope for this village to survive this disaster. Since beast attacks aren''t only the problem, but also food scarcity. Hearing what Alexander said, she nodded her head, since they still have meat, and it was a lot in her house. So, she will not participate in this gathering for food. "Yeah, let''s go back. I''ll heat the food again so it''s hot," she spoke towards Alexander. Aeloria then held Anya''s hands as they left the place. Alexander on their way back was pondering about something while they were walking. He knows that the village chief must be the one who saved the other man, he must be cautious and become wary from now on. For any surprise attacks or ambush. When they were back, Alexander sat at the table with Anya drawing something on the ground using a stick. He couldn''t help but be sad for Anya. Since she cannot play with someone the same age as her. "The food is fully heated. Anya, go wash your hands now," Aeloria instructed Anya, since the food is going to be dirty if she eats now. Anya nodded excitedly, since she wants to continue her distracted meal. She hurriedly splashed water on her palms. When she was back, Aeloria put a bowl of soup with meat in it. She then blew it for a few times and was very happy. Her face was filled with smiles, tasting the food that is in front of her. "Big sister is really the best," she mumbled while gulping the bowl of food in front of her. Aeloria couldn''t help but laugh from her silly actions. For Alexander, he just looked at the two of them with a smile on his face. "This kind of life is actually not that bad," he mumbled in a low voice that no one could hear. Aeloria then served Alexander a bowl of boar soup. He took her offer and began to enjoy this moment as well. Chapter 57 When they were done eating, Aeloria cleaned and gathered the used plates and spoons on the table. As she went to the back of the house to clean them to be used again. Alexander burped, feeling his stomach that is very much full.He then remembered something so he stood up, seeing his actions Anya who was beside him glance at his direction. "Big brother Alex, where are you going?" Anya asked, seeing that he was leaving. "Oh, just fixing some stuff," Alexander replied with a smile. "Can I go with you big brother, Anya is bored by doing nothing all day," she said with a saddened face. Seeing her expression, Alexander couldn''t help but be sad as well, being a kid with no one to play with who is the same age as her seems to really boring. He nodded his head to agree, since he was only going to gather some resources. "Yay, wait for me, big brother," she said as she stood up in her seat, filled with excitement in her eyes. "Wait, go and ask for permission from your big sister first, or she will be worried," Alexander instructed as he waited for her to go. Anya nodded as she hastily ran behind the old wooden house and saw her big sister Aeloria. She ran hurriedly, seeming like Alexander would leave her behind. "Big sister, can I go with big brother Alex to fix something?" she asked as she jumped up and down from being too excited. Seeing her so excited and the wide, bright smile on her face, she was about to agree, but still asked. "Fixing for what?" Aeloria asked with her face filled with question marks. "I don''t know, big brother Alex just said that he is going to do some fixing. I don''t know what he meant, but he agreed for me to follow him. But I still need to ask for your permission first," she spoke as she looked at Aeloria in the face. "Okay then, but be a good girl and come back early, okay?" Aeloria replied with a smile on her face. She trusted Alex since she just saw that he was not a bad person. He was even more heroic than she could have imagined for saving the village. About the dangers if Anya went with him? She can clearly see that she was in the safest place right now since Alex was the only warrior in their village. "Thank you, big sister," Anya said, jumping into her embrace, hugging her. She then pecked on her cheek with her smooth lips, kissing it. She then let go of her embrace and ran with her back facing Aeloria. She just shifted her head while waving her hands and left with a smile. Alexander was looking at the ground, kicking the small rocks below him. This is what he does sometimes when he is bored. When he heard the footsteps, and it was Anya, he waited for her to reach him. "Let''s go now big brother Alex," she said excitedly as she ran to the entrance of the forest. Alexander just smiled at her actions and followed behind her. Anya was wandering around touching some plants, flowers, and even playing with a ladybug. He made sure that Anya would not escape his vision since this is a forest after all. "Anya, make sure to not walk far away from me, ok," he shouted towards Anya, who was poking the chameleon with a stick, hitting its eyes. The chameleon brushed the stick hitting its eye socket and stood up on its two legs, making a hand gesture saying "no." She was greatly amazed by this little chameleon. "Okay, big brother Alex," she replied, while looking at the Chameleon who seems to be breakdancing. Alexander knew that he needed to put his vision towards Anya just to make sure, since sometimes kids tend to break their words in accidents. He went to the closest tree and tried touching its bark. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could feel its toughness, but it was too big. But he could cut it and this seems to be a good one to be used for fixing the house. Like the logs for the walls and for the roof, he could just shape it to fill the hole. Far away from Alexander in a cave, there was a man filled with black clothes from top to bottom sitting in a lotus position, as he puked blood from his mouth, drenching the ground. "Dang, this hurts! Kid, just you wait. I''m going to kill you!" The man bellowed, filled with resentment. Suddenly, at the entrance of the cave, a man that was familiar to Alexander appeared. If he saw this person, he would not be surprised since that person is none other than the village chief. He already knows this since their aura is relatively the same without any signs of any difference. "Don''t worry, my little brother, we will have our revenge and kill him. The blood gem is about to form after gathering the resentment souls of the villagers in a week when it''s done condensing the energy. After that, we will kill him," The village chief Bernard spoke with a malicious smile. As he released his killing intent, that was really thick and deadly, the man then took off the black cloth covering his face. Showing a terrifying face, it was cut, seemingly hit by a blade, with a burn mark on his right face. "But isn''t it surprising, brother, that there''s actually a Grandmaster that young? Maybe he''s a disciple from some major sect or some young master from big families that came here to gather experience. Since this island is far from the four continents," He spoke, looking at his big brother. Experience exclusive tales on empire The man nodded when he heard this, "You are right, since the warriors here are only at the Warrior Stage or even at the Battle Master Stage." Bernard replied, sharing his thoughts also. "Big brother, don''t you think that he must be accompanied by a master in the dark, since his talent is top-notch?" he asked, pondering about this question. Bernard just shook his head. "No, he was alone. I didn''t sense any presence of a hidden master. So, we have nothing to worry about," he replied, since during that time where he was rescuing his little brother. He was very wary, that he always watched his surroundings if there''s any abnormality. Because of this kind of personality, he survived for this long years by being a killer. "Also, brother, isn''t this also a problem, since he is at the same level as you? Do we still have to proceed with the mission?" The man asked, since the blow he had taken really injured him greatly. The force that hit him was totally different, making him wonder what kind of technique that the little brat used for cultivating since he did not sense any energy that he was very familiar with. "You''re right, but did you forget what your big brother is?" He said with a smile of pride on his face. "I''m a beast tamer, so of course my strength doesn''t rely on fighting head on, but my beast companion," he spoke, as a big beast with black scales that looks like a cobra and a serpent appeared. It was big as it circled Bernard, extending its head to be petted, which he also responded to it. The big man smacked his head, remembering this. Because of that, he puked another blood, but it was worth it for reminding himself to not be stupid. "How could I forget about your beast companion, big brother! With that, the kid will be no match, and if it absorbs the blood gem, it will become a spirit beast, raising its strength to the Ascendant stage," He spoke loudly, looking at the gigantic snake that is like a little child in his brother''s arms. "Even in the four continents, you can now be considered a big-shot, that only those first-rate sects can cause you problems. We''ll be considered invincible in this island, since no major powerhouse is inhabiting this place," He said with excitement, unable to wait for this to happen. "Yes, that''s right. After the blood gem has gathered the necessary energy, it will be the time for our time to shine. Then, I will give you that kid named Alex to know that we are not the kind of person to be offended," He spoke with enthusiasm. His little brother nodded his head, unable to wait for this to happen. Bernard then instructed the snake to rest in its place. The snake heeded his word as it loses its grip towards him and went to the deep of the cave. "Stay here for a while and recuperate your injuries. I will try to attract more beasts tomorrow by turning on the blood gem with the formation. We will just let the kid do our job by killing the beast to fill up the blood gem," He said as he looked back filled with smiles. The man just nodded his head as he continued his meditation to heal his injuries that were caused by Alex. About Alex well, he was still looking for a good tree to be cut, since the quality he needed must be high to make sure that it can last for a long time, even with heavy rains and storms. Chapter 58 While Alexander was wandering in the forest, he checked trees by trees to find if there were any appropriate ones to be used. As he wandered around, and Anya was playing not far away from his current location."I think this tree would be a good one," Alexander mumbled, feeling its bark. It was a big tree, and he could feel its toughness by just the touch. Alexander took a step back and was about to release a palm strike but stopped! If he did that, wouldn''t he be very stupid for ruining it? He needed to cut it without any damage. Suddenly, he remembered his sword. As he opened his system inventory and saw the sword, he then took it out of the system inventory. As it appeared, the blade thrummed with a malevolent killing energy, with its fiery edge crackling with anticipation. The intense heat radiating from the sword was not burning, but so invigorating, like a forge''s heat. The aura around the blade was oppressive and intoxicating, a palpable sense of dread mixed with a thrilling rush of power. As he held the sword in his hand, he couldn''t help but be amazed at how compatible this weapon was to him. It seemed to be the only weapon that could really complement his suddenly twisted personality. "Now then, it''s chopping time," Alexander hummed as he lowered himself with the blade up diagonally. He gripped the handle, and the blade seemed to be responding with excitement, finally he was being used. *Shing A sound made out of the sword as it struck the tree horizontally. It was like a piece of sheet of paper when the blade went in without any sign of any resistance. With that, the malevolent tree fell. As it collided with the ground, the earth trembled on its feet. Alexander then walked towards it with his cool sword and was about to cut the branches into the shape of a log. Suddenly, his blade shook, trembling in his hand. He stopped and put it in front of him, and looked at it with narrowed eyes. He could feel its huge dissatisfaction towards him as it trembled, wanting to say something. But Alexander did not mind it and continued his plan which is clearing the branches on the tree. Even though it was shaking and trembling, he does not know what the sword''s problem was. "Is this thing broken? It''s impossible for a heaven-grade sword to be broken, right?" he mumbled, as small footsteps sounded behind him. It was Anya, looking at the big red sword on his hand. Her eyes were forming stars as she looked at the sword that was radiating with red light and its molten lava designs. The chameleon was on top of her head, as it slept on it, they seemed to have become best friends. "Anya, do you want to go back now? We''ve been here for an hour now," Alexander asked if this little child wanted to go elsewhere. Anya nodded her head and responded, "Yes big brother Alex, Anya just made a new friend, look, this creature is very strange and can change color. His name is Pascal," she said excitedly, introducing her new friend towards Alexander. She slowly took the green chameleon on her head, as it showed it towards Alexander. He glanced at the creature Anya was talking about and was surprised. "Some of the animals here were actually had the same facial features on my world," he muttered inwardly. "Anya, if you''re wondering this is an animal, it''s called a Chameleon. It can change color into anything it likes. I''m so happy that you can actually find one in the wild," Alexander said while petting Anya''s head. "Cha-Me-Leon," she muttered slowly, while looking at the creature in her palm. The Chameleon was still sleep with its eyes were still closed. It did not even bother about waking up, even though it was being held like a dog. After Anya finally processed the entire information, she was amazed, of course. "Really, big brother Alex, Pascal can change to any color it wants?" Anya said with awe. Alexander nodded in a smile, since this is what he heard about it. But for the reason it changes color? He had no idea. "Yes, but it only depends on the little guy," he replied, as he took back his hand that was patting the little girl''s head. Anya nodded in understanding as she leaned her head sideways, "Are we going back now, big brother?" she asked. "Yes, but let me chop this into small pieces first," he muttered, and when he was about to do that, wouldn''t it be going to be smaller? "Wait, is this also possible to be stored even though it''s big?" he asked himself, in a scrutinizing gaze. As he opened the system inventory and clicked the store button, it was absorbed into the black hole. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ohh, it actually works," Alexander said in surprise. They then trailed their way back to their home. As Alexander arrived, he saw that Aeloria was not here. He concluded that she must have gone to the village, so he went into the back of the house, opening the system storage and unstoring the log that was stored in it. Alexander then tried to shape the logs to fit the hole, and yes it works. Now the only thing he needed to do was to attach it. He put down the shaped wood for the wall and walked to the side where there were some small bones that had a tip point. With that, he took this and went back to the hole part of the house, covering it by the squared shaped wood. He then used the tough bones, that were even much tougher than the nails that were made of metal. He used his hand as a hammer, but instead of striking it down like a hammer, he just exerted some force into it, piecing it to the wall. He did this to both sides, from top to bottom. When he was done, he nodded in satisfaction. He also went to the roof and covered it as well. He also shaped the wood by using the Infernal Fury. The sword in his palm seemed to be very angry as it released its aura in protest, but Alexander does not know what this sword was talking about, so he did not bother its resistance. After that, he then covered the roof by putting some nails made of bones. When all is done, he jumped down and nodded in satisfaction. "With this, during summer and raining season, they are not going to worry about this problem anymore." He then heard some footsteps on his back, and it was none other than Aeloria. She could see that her old wooden house was changed. She could see that the hole in the roof and the wall were fixed. Even the part where the worn-out part were also changed, making her freeze. "Alex, did you do this?" Aeloria asked as she stood beside him. "Of course, who else would it be if not me?" Alexander said with a smile. With all of a sudden, he felt two soft marshmallows in his chest, making his breath heavy. But other than that, he didn''t feel anything more. He knew that this was the effect of his skill ''Heart of Stone'' making him cursed. He felt like he was turning gay, that even a woman as beautiful as Aeloria hugged him. He could feel nothing other than surprised, he could only sigh from this. Aeloria then looked upwards with their faces so close to each other, Alexander was frozen in place as he looked at this. "Damn, it''s so close," he muttered inwardly as he looked at her pink cherry lips. He was stunned for a moment, and his arms slowly went upwards on their own, hugging her hourglass waist. Because of the fabric of the clothes that was very thin, it felt like there was no barrier at all. Aeloria felt electrified from the touch, as her face grew red with embarrassment. "Big sister, Big brother, what are you doing?" Anya spoke while looking at them so close to each other. Hearing Anya''s voice, Aeloria panicked and hurriedly let go while caressing her left arm, looking down. Her face was so red that it even reached her neck. "I- a- we..." she stuttered, not knowing what to say. Alexander just made a cough to clear the awkward atmosphere in the air. "Actually, Anya we were just a, we just missed each other, so you don''t need to ask anymore, okay," he said, not knowing how to explain at all. "Uh-huh," Anya nodded as she walked towards Aeloria to be hugged by her big sister. But for the chameleon on Anya''s head, his brows were furrowed, as a knowing gaze glinting in his eyes. When she slowly forgot about what happened earlier, she went back to her old self. "Ohh, don''t tell me you missed your sister after playing earlier. Let''s go inside the house and watch what your big brother Alexander fixed," she muttered, very embarrassed to see him in the face. For Alexander, he couldn''t help but feel but look at his two hands that touched her waist. He couldn''t help but feel good from touching it. When her breast touched his chest, the feeling was really good. He couldn''t help but imagine if Anya wasn''t there, they would have taken it to-, he then shook his head as he stopped thinking since having these weird thoughts wasn''t good for his health. Chapter 59 When he was left alone, Alexander decided to keep a lookout in the village. He then disappeared in the spot. He was then back in the forest, observing the surroundings."What kind of magic or artifacts that the Village chief seems to be controlling the beast?" Alexander mumbled, filled with question marks. He really had no idea what it was. After circling the place and not finding any clues at all, he decided to stay up here for a while. But after waiting for a whole day, he found nothing. With that, before night strikes, he goes for hunting food. This time, he captured at least one boar in the outskirts of the forest. He also tried to store the dead boar in the system storage, and yes it worked. As he went back, he saw that Aeloria was standing at the door looking at the horizons. Seeing this, Alexander pursed his lips wanting to scare her. Aeloria, not knowing what was going to happen, was staring blankly at the sky. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared in front of her. She was shocked at the same time she was very scared. "Ahh!" she exclaimed, as she took a step back and slipped. Alexander, seeing this, hurriedly held her in the waist to stop her from falling. The feeling of holding her waist made him heart thump again. "I''m so sorry about that," Alexander said, truly regretting what he did. Aeloria was about to struggle from the unknown person who just appeared out of thin air, but when she heard the voice, she stopped and looked at his face. Her racing heart calmed down as the two were looking at each other. Alexander was staring at her blankly again. He slowly pulled her waist closer to him, while Aeloria did not struggle from his movements. His consciousness returned suddenly, seeing that what he was doing was really inappropriate. "Sorry about that, I shouldn''t have done that," he muttered in a low voice, as he diverted his gaze. He slowly lifted her up and put her down gently, like a delicate flower, afraid to hurt her. Aeloria''s face was so red, feeling his soft and gentle touch. She didn''t know why her heart was racing like a wave by being touched. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s okay, Alex, but please don''t do that again. You freaked me out just now," she replied, while narrowing her eyes, lecturing him. But to Alexander, her actions and the way her eyes narrowed, while pursing her lips, were very cute to look at. Seeing his smile all of a sudden, her cheeks reddened suddenly, as she touched her face that was hot as pepper. "Big sister, is food ready yet? Anya is hungry," the little girl, Anya muttered while yawning, her eyes were still sleepy, clearly she just woke up. Seeing that Anya was awake, Aeloria''s embarrassed face disappeared as she looked at her dotingly. "Okay Anya, this big sister is going to cook for you, okay," she said while patting her head. Alexander then took out the boar, appearing beside him, that was already dead. "Oh yeah, here is the lunch for tonight," he said while unstoring it in his system inventory. Seeing another piece of beast in front of her, Aeloria was very speechless. She felt like that poverty and starvation were not a problem anymore if she was with Alex. "That''s so big, Alex. You do know that we still have a lot of meat here from what you have captured yesterday. We are going to be fat thanks to you," Aeloria said with a sigh, but also thankful since their life seemed to become much easier. "Don''t worry, if you turned fat, you would still look beautiful," Alexander muttered, raising his palm, touching her cheeks. Aeloria was surprised from the sudden touch. She was frozen for a moment, as her whole body felt like it was electrified, even though there was no electricity. Her face turned red as a tomato, but she did not stop him. Alexander finally noticed what he had done, and was stunned. This hand of his seemed to be possessed, doing whatever it wanted. "Sorry about that, I will be staying over there while you cook," Alexander muttered, taking his hands back as he ran to escape. Seeing his actions and the shy expression on his face, she couldn''t help but release a giggle. She did not hate it, but she seemed to like being touched by Alex, the man she just met yesterday, not knowing why. "Anya, I want you to go with your big brother Alex while I prepare for dinner, okay," Aeloria said to the little girl Anya, who was still sleepy. Anya just hummed in reply as she walked outside the house and went towards Alexander, while Aeloria began to prepare for dinner. Alexander also lit up a fire, so it wasn''t darker. He was currently sitting in the chair, his two arms were placed on the table as his elbows were placed on it and his arms were crossed, putting his jaw while thinking deeply. "I have to control myself more often, these devil hands of mine are literally turning me evil," Alexander stated inwardly as his eyes were staring blankly at the trees with a serious expression. "Big brother Alex, can Anya sleep in your lap?", she said with her arms up. She was even still sleepy after sleeping for who knows how long. Alexander smiled from this cute little girl, he could never say no since he really like her. Just for some short info. His not a pedophile, but the author is, but that''s not the point or you could say that''s besides the point :D He then placed her on his lap while she began to sleep again, hugging him as her face was in her chest, having a good sleep with a smile blooming on her face. Alexander''s heart was melting seeing her actions, and he could not help but sigh. If he left this place, he had no idea if he could ever get back to this place and meet Aeloria and little Anya. Imagining this made him sad, but as long as he was here, he must enjoy this moment than ever. After a half an hour, finally the food is ready. Alexander slowly woke up Anya who was sleeping soundly on him. Waking up, Alexander helped with the arrangement of the table as they began to eat. As their stomachs were filled, Alexander rested for a bit. He then bid his farewell towards Aeloria, saying that he would scout for any abnormality that was going to happen in the village. Seeing his actions, she thought that he must still be embarrassed about what had happened earlier. The forest this time was dark as he circled the village again, if he could find those black people, I''m not talking about their skin color but their black clothes like a ninja. So its not racist. He circled the place but stopped after an hour, not finding something weird. He decided to stop and sat in the tree branches. Suddenly, he caught something in his pupil, in the center of the village, he saw one person walking in the middle of the night. Even though it was 500 meters away from him. His vision was sharp, like that of an eagle even seeing its face. He hid his presence above as he observed him. He could see that the village chief just stood there and then mumbled something in the air, which he could not hear. Bernard then observed his surroundings as he left the place, which made him narrow his eyes. Suddenly he felt something weird. He didn''t know, but the air seemed to have changed, making him wonder what he had done. When he saw that he left, he went down the tree as he stood at the center of the village where there was the big rock in placed. He circled the place but found nothing. He could really feel the sudden change of atmosphere just a seconds ago, but now it was gone. "Is it just my imagination? Or is there really some secret here?" Alexander muttered in a low breath while his brows furrowed, full of questions in his mind. He decided to leave this place, since he really had no idea. He could just come back tomorrow night and capture the village chief and question him, since what he was doing right now could already cause some questions for the villagers. As he left the place, he went back, then looked at the window and saw that the two were already asleep. Seeing they were fine, he leaped up to the tree, but did not sleep since cultivating felt much better than sleeping. Not only could his mind become so calm, just like still water, but he would also feel full of vitality and energetic tomorrow. Which is literally better than sleeping. Sitting in the lotus position, he began to cultivate. He then began to draw the energy in the surrounding area, not even thinking about absorbing the bluish energy. As he activated the [Vital Draw Technique], he closed his eyes. In the outskirts of the village, every beast and flying creatures were groaning and convulsing, not knowing why it was happening. They groaned as they rolled on the ground. Suddenly their eyes turned red as they stood still. When morning strikes and only half of the sun was up, the beasts then began to move. Chapter 60 Alexander, who was up in the tree, felt something wrong. His ears perked up a little, hearing a lot of heavy footsteps. His eyes narrowed as he directed his way in full speed."What the heck is happening?" he muttered, seeing that hundreds of beasts were marching towards the village. He circled the forest and saw that it was in every direction. He hurriedly went back to wake up Aeloria and Anya to take cover in the village, so he could protect all of the people at once. Since he was only one person and dealing with hundreds of beasts, he did not know if he could handle it alone. "Should I really have to use my sword this time?" Alexander thought as he hopped from trees to trees, leaving some shadowy figures. "It''s not the time yet," Alexander muttered. If he showed his cards now, the village chief would become more wary. "Let''s just wait for a while. If the situation is really crucial then using it will be a good choice," he thought as he agreed with his idea. Arriving at the wooden house, he opened the door. Hearing the sudden opening of the door, Aeloria woke up and saw Alexander. She was stunned and was about to ask what was wrong with the sudden intrusion. "Aeloria, go to the village to take cover now. The beasts will be here in just a minute," Alexander spoke, as he carried Anya on the bed towards him. Because of this action, Anya''s eyes fluttered slowly. Aeloria, hearing this, was stunned. Her still sleepy eyes were now wide awake as she hurriedly stood up. "Let me carry Anya, so you can do your duties," Aeloria said as she opened her arms. Alexander nodded as she let Aeloria run off first while he followed her from behind. He could hear that they were getting closer, making his eyes narrow. "Big sis, where are we going?" Anya spoke in a sleepy voice. "Anya, just sleep for now, okay? There are some problems going to happen again, okay honey." Aeloria spoke to Anya while she still kept running, carrying her. Anya just hummed and her eyes were wide awake now. She knew that something bad must have happened, so she listened and looked at the surroundings. Suddenly, a silver wolf pounced to the air towards her and Aeloria. Alexander burst in speed that he quickly appeared besides the beast, hitting its right side, as it flew like a broken kite, snapping its ribs. He did not hold back from that, so he killed it with just one swing. Aeloria did not panic since she felt so secure if Alex was besides her, so she continued to run, giving all her trust towards Alexander. For Alex, every beast that came to stop and hinder their way, he just blasted them away. As they arrived, Alexander instructed Aeloria, "Go and alert the villagers, I will do my best to hold them off," Alexander muttered with a serious face. Aeloria nodded her head, "Be careful, Alex," she muttered as she ran and began to shout to alert the villagers. "Beast attack. Everyone, the beasts are attacking," she shouted loudly. Her shouts were heard in every house. The villagers, who just woke up, heard her voice, hurriedly stood up and alerted the rest of the villagers. All of them began to slowly gather in the center of the village. As Alexander stood at the village''s edge, he could feel the ground vibrate with the thunderous stampede of beasts coming from all directions. The sounds of their snarls and growls, rustling was intensifying. His senses were sharpened as the radiance of the sunrise scattered in the place. The air was filled with the stench of blood and primal rage. In front of him, the forest''s shadowy treeline stirred as some glowing red eyes appeared, one after another. Their eyes were like those of predators. Since they are really predators. The wave of beasts then burst forth from the trees, it is a mix of silver wolves, massive boars, and serpent-like creatures slithering at incredible speed. *Screeech Looking up, he could also see those flying creatures were back again. His eyes were cold looking at this. They then charged towards his direction, fueled by endless resentment. Their eyes glowing with the same unnatural red hue that Alexander had seen before. Alexander didn''t wait for this to get close. So he dashed forward, meeting the first silver wolf in mid-leap. With one fluid strike, he drove his fist into its side, his punch was like a hammer blow that shattered the wolf''s ribs. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The beast let out a sharp yelp before being flung through the air, its body spinning uncontrollably before it hit the ground, lifelessly. But there was no time to pause. [You killed a level 7 silver wolf. You''ve gained 6 exp] Another wolf came at him from his left. Alexander ducked under its snapping jaws, grabbed it by the throat, and slammed it into the ground with enough force to crack the earth beneath them. Without any hesitation, he crushed its windpipe, ending its life in an instant. He stood back up just in time to see a large boar charging toward him, its tusks glinting dangerously in the towards him. Alexander just sidestepped casually from the charging boar and delivered a punishing elbow to its side, the impact so powerful it caused the beast''s legs to buckle. But the boar wasn''t down yet¡ªit turned with surprising speed, aiming its tusks at Alexander''s midsection. Seeing this Alexander smiled coldly and increased the forces making a cracking sound on its leg nailing it to the ground, as spider web cracks were created. The beast''s head snapped downward with a bone-crunching sound as its body slumped to the ground. [You killed a level 9 Boar. You''ve gained 11 exp] Still, the assault didn''t let up. More beasts were pouring from the forest, a seemingly endless wave. Then a pair of massive serpents coiled around the base of a tree, their bodies were thick in other words big, moving in a zig-zag motion as they hissed. They darted toward Alexander with fangs bared, aiming for his legs. He jumped slightly from this, avoiding the first strike, he then grabbed the second serpent by its neck mid-air. With a sharp twist, he snapped its body like a whip, slamming it into the other serpent with a brutal force that left both writhing in pain. The serpents hissed in agony, but before they could recover, Alexander stomped down hard, crushing the head of one under his boot, while delivering a swift punch that crushed the skull of the other. [You killed a level 8 Forest Serpent. You''ve gained 8 exp] [You killed a level 7 Forest Serpent. You''ve gained 6 exp] Even as he dealt with the serpents, more wolves were closing in, surrounding him in a deadly circle. They pounced in unison, while their bodies flying at him from every direction with their claws outstretched, as their jaws snapping in the air. Alexander leaped into the air yet again, spinning his body in a full circle. His legs extended in a wide, sweeping kick that created a small whirlwind around him. The wolves that had lunged at him were caught in the spinning vortex of his legs, as their bodies flew away like ragdolls. The power behind the kick sent some crashing into trees, while others hit the ground hard, their bodies were broken and unmoving. [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] [You killed a level 6 silver wolf. You''ve gained 4 exp] [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] ... "This is going to be endless," he said with red eyes. [Berserker Instinct activated] The system prompted, as his aura turned red from the killing intent surging out in him. As he landed, Alexander''s eyes scanned the battlefield. The forest seemed alive with the movement of more beasts that were coming. Boars, wolves, and now larger creatures with horns and thick hides that resembled mutated bulls were emerging from the woods. The flying creatures circled above, waiting for their moment to strike. The situation was growing more dire, but Alexander stood his ground, a lone warrior against a wave of enemies. Just as he finished fending off another boar with a powerful knee strike, three more wolves leaped from the shadows, trying to catch him off guard. Alexander dropped to the ground, his hands bracing on the earth as he kicked out with both legs in a wide, sweeping motion. His spinning kick connected with all three wolves at once, their bodies sent flying like debris in a storm. But the numbers kept growing. The beasts were now attacking from every side, pushing Alexander to his limits. He was a moving so fast he is leaving a blur of images, dodging, striking, and countering every attack with a lethal strike that left his enemies broken even worse dead. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 10%.] The ground around him was littered with the corpses of beasts, but more kept coming. His body surged with energy as his fists connected with the hide of a massive bull-like creature, sending it crashing backward into a cluster of wolves. His eyes were crimson, as he charged at them like a hunter. With a punch, the air was distorted as it hit the big bear in the chest. It caved in and flew like it was hit by a missile, hitting the rest of the beasts behind it. Alexander then stood his ground as more than 20 beasts attacked him from all sides, even in the air. With a stance, he released a barrage of punches. That hit every beast, with just one hit, some were unconscious while some died from the impact. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 20%.] Chapter 61 Since he was on the front lines, the beasts he was vanquishing were only the ones in front of him. The increased stats caused by his skill were overwhelming. The power released from his blow hit the bear, but this time, it didn''t cave in.The blow hitting its chest felt like it had been hit by a sniper, but with a larger bullet. Half of its body was blown to pieces from the impact. The werebear died as it fell back. [You killed a level 11 Werebear. You''ve gained 9 exp] Alexander''s smile glinted maliciously, his bloodlust surging. He laughed with every disappearance and reappearance, striking down a beast every second. Different races of creatures fell before him, each death fueling his bloodlust. [You killed a level 13 a silver wolf. You''ve gained 11 exp] [You killed a level 7 a Forest Serpent. You''ve gained 6 exp] [You killed a level 10 a Skyhawk. You''ve gained 8 exp] [You killed a level 7 a Boar. You''ve gained 6 exp] [You killed a level 9 a silver wolf. You''ve gained 8 exp] ... A bunch of notifications echoed with every movement, a clear soundtrack to his rampage. He was like the reaper, taking souls, but in reverse, a bringer of death instead of a collector. His eyes turned crimson in that is even redder than blood, his clothes was full of bloodstains. [You Just Leveled Up] The system''s notification sounded again he ignored this, lost in the whirlwind of his fury. While he held the front line, the villagers, huddled in the center, were defenseless. Seizing their chance, the beasts surged forward. A silver wolf''s snapping jaws caught a villager who was running towards the gathering crowd. "Ahhh! Help!" he cried, his leg was being ripped off. Blood splattered across the ground. His face was pale as sheet of paper, but no villagers came to help, because they were paralyzed by fear. The man who had already accepted his fate, closed his eyes, overwhelmed by pain. Suddenly, a footstep sounded, followed by a woman''s shout. The woman smashed the head of the silver wolf, who was munching on the man''s leg, with a wooden table. Her strength was weak, making the beast only backed off, growling angrily towards her. It gazed at her with its crimson blood eyes, filled with killing intent. It then pounced towards her, but was stopped in mid-air. The silver wolf looked behind, seeing that his leg was being held by the man he had just injured. "Aeloria, thank you very much for your help. But I don''t want you to risk your life, for this useless life of mine," the man gritted his teeth, his voice filled with a strong will. Even though he was lying on the ground, he pulled the wolf towards him, hammering its head with a with his fist which is literally weak since he was injured. *Bonk "Aeloria, what are you dozing off for? Run!" the man shouted, holding the beast in its two legs. The silver wolf was stunned, seeing that a human dared to hit him with his weak hands. It was a disgrace to him, a silver wolf. They were a race of high pride, even though he was hypnotized the anger in his heart were burning with fury. The wolf snarled, baring its teeth towards the man. It growled and looked back, biting the man in the neck. The man just looked at Aeloria with a smile on his face as he puked a lot of blood. "Uncle Barry," she shouted, slumping back to the ground, kneeling. Tears streamed down in her face as she watched the wolf devour the man. The man wasn''t just anyone, he was more special since he was the one who always came to her house to warn her about the beast attacks, and also. He had always been kind to her, treating her like a little sister, "Uncle Barry, why are you so good to me? We''re not even family. I''m curious¡ªdo you like me?" Aerolia asked. She was only around 13 or 14 at this time, as she was getting a flashback. The young man, who looked about 18, laughed and almost choked. "Aeloria, what are you thinking? I''m not interested in kids! Besides, you just remind me of someone I love a family of mine, you could say," he replied, his smile tinged with sadness. Her eyes widened as she stepped closer besides him and looked up at him, "Really, Uncle? Who was that person who looks like me?" she asked, her voice was flat. Barry felt emotional all of a sudden as his eyes steeled red, "Actually its my little sister, she was just like you a happy person, kind, and very helpful. Just by seeing her everyday I felt that the tiredness and hardship of life was nothing. But-" he stopped with his eyes turned watery looking at the horizons. Aerolia was confused why he suddenly stopped, "But what uncle?" she asked full of question. "She died when I was away hunting for food," Barry said, his voice trembling. "A small beast attacked, and she was alone at that time. I can''t stop imagining her calling for me, but I wasn''t there, Aerolia. Her big brother wasn''t there when she needed me the most." He could no longer hold back his emotions, and they poured out. "I can''t help but think of the pain she went through. Her organs were eaten, her left arm was gone, and she only had one leg left. The living room was in ruins, her blood was everywhere when I came back. Her eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling. As her brother, how do I deserve to live after seeing her die like that, right in front of me?" he said, his voice breaking. "At that time, I''ve been thinking of suicide ever since I lost the will to live. So, I tried to find the beast who killed her and avenge her spirit, but I didn''t find it. I was about to kill myself after a few weeks she died, but then I saw you," he said with a smile, his heart slowly healing. "You''re just like her. You were like the same person, your personality, it''s really the same as hers. Because of you, I get to live this long. So, Aeloria, can you become my little sister?" Barry said with a smile, looking at her. Seeing his saddened face and the way he cried made her sad for a moment, but hearing that she was the reason for him to live made her happy. "I would be happy to, big brother Barry," Aeloria replied, with her two dimples on her cheeks popping up. Barry smiled and replied, "Just call me Uncle Barry from now on, since I''ve already gotten the hang of it. Ahahaha," he laughed at the end. This time, the tears that slid down his face were not sadness but pure joy. And now looking at the person who she was referring to as a brother, being ravaged by the beast made her frozen not accepting it. Barry, who was being eaten alive in his consciousness, he felt his heart, which had been in turmoil for a long time, calm down. "This time I will try to protect you, since I couldn''t protect my very own sister," he mumbled as his spirit disappeared. His spirit was supposed to go through the process of reincarnation, but he felt a strong suction force pulling him towards something. He couldn''t resist as he was pulled strongly to the center of the village. The rock, embedded with a red gem, was glowing strongly in response to his spirit. His soul was then absorbed by that jewel, being condensed into something. Not only him but also the dead beast spirits were getting absorbed. When he was condensed into energy, the pain he felt was 100 times more painful than being eaten alive. But he didn''t care, as his heart finally in peace, knowing that no one was going to die because of him, especially his little sister. If you want to know why, he took a deep glance at the spot where Aeloria was limping on the ground, shedding tears, as the wolf was done with its meal. It also wanted to ravage Aeloria. "Big sister, noo!" Anya shouted, tears pouring down her face, as she was being held by the villagers to keep her from getting involved. When the silver wolf was just an inch away from her face, filled with tears, she wasn''t afraid. The pain of losing someone was much more painful than being eaten alive by this beast. Suddenly, a gust of wind appeared in front of her as a strong hand held the beast that was in mid-air by its neck, stopping it. The man''s gaze was blood crimson, as he looked at it filled with killing intent burning in his eyes. He threw the beast up as he punched its abdomen, making it fly high like a butterfly, being shot into the sky. Enjoy new chapters from empire The beast growled in pain as it flew more than 50 meters in the sky before it could land toward Alexander''s face. He whipped a kick, making it hit the tree. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Breaking its bones in the process of those two strikes, Alexander hurriedly helped Aeloria stand up, where she hugged him in return. Barry, seeing this, just smiled peacefully as his soul was fully condensed into energy. "I hope you take care of her Alex," Barry said his final words, as he disappeared. "Alex, *sob my big brother was dead. It''s all because of me. It''s all my fault," she grimaced, her face pressed against his broad chest. She was too weak to help, she blamed her self from being too weak. Alexander just hugged her around the waist, patting her head to comfort her. His mind didn''t wander towards anything perverted, as his face was very serious this time. "Aeloria, it''s not your fault. Don''t ever blame yourself. I saw what happened. Can''t you see that he was very happy when he saved you just now? So, snap out of it. You go ahead and protect Anya. Look, she''s crying needing you the most right now," Alexander exclaimed, mentioning Anya. She looked behind and saw that Anya was shedding tears looking at her. But was being stopped by the villagers, "Anya now needs you the most, so go ahead and be there with her. For your big brother! Don''t worry let me handle this, I''m very sorry for coming late" Alexander said as their face was just inches apart. He extended both of his hands to her cheeks, brushing them with his finger to wipe away her tears. Aeloria then started to feel better as she put her face in his broad chest and mumbled in a low voice. "Be careful," she said, escaping from his embrace, running towards Anya, hugging her to stop her cries. Seeing her shedding tears, the resentment in his heart turned colder, it was like a flamethrower that cannot be extinguished at all. Suddenly, a red glowing sword appeared in his hands. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 50%.] With the sword in his hands, the aura surrounding him was like death itself. The endless killing intent that surrounded him was like sharp blades. The beasts, who were hypnotized, slowed down as an enormous pressure seemed to be pushing them down. [Bloodlust was activated] [All stats except for charm and intelligence increased by 60%] Chapter 62 Holding his sword tightly, Alexander slowly turned his head, his gaze was sharper than any blade at this moment, it was burning with a crimson glow that radiated like a deadly flame.The sheer killing intent emanating from him swept across the battlefield like a violent storm, crashing into everything in its path. Even the villagers watching from a distance weren''t spared either, their bodies were trembling under the might of his pressure. They gasped for air, feeling as though they were being crushed by a boulder, despite knowing the wrath wasn''t directed at them. In their eyes, Alexander appeared more like a vengeful god than a young man. He was unaware of the devastation his raw killing intent could inflict on the weak. His mind was singularly focused on the beast before him, a towering werebear with muscles like steel and claws that could rend boulders. Its monstrous roar shook the air, but Alexander''s cold expression remained unmoved. "Prepare to die," Alexander growled, his voice laced with a chilling tone. His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum, his blood boiling with the thrill of pure rage. Despite the wild torrent of emotions surging through him, he was amazed at his ability to remain clear-headed. Even if both of his skill [Berserker Instinct] and [Bloodlust] were activated, yet his thoughts remained so clear. Without warning, he spun his sword in a blur the sword glinted in red light, and in the next breath, he vanished. His speed now was beyond anything he had known before, it had already surpassed his previous limits. What once felt like the swiftness of a cheetah hunting its prey was now something much deadlier, he was like a predator amongst slumbering prey. The beasts scattered across the battlefield stood no chance. A bunch of notification bombarded him, but he decided to mute this since it was very annoying. Each time Alexander reappeared, his blade was drenched in blood, every time he left those pools of blood was the markings of his every strike. The beasts were affected this time as they were greatly slowed when they reached the area which his aura was covering. One by one, they fell, dismembered, and slain they were like insects in the face of a powerful beast. Then a massive wolf lunged at him from the side, its fangs bared, but Alexander sidestepped effortlessly, his sword flashing as he cut through its body like a knife through paper. Find your next adventure on empire Blood sprayed in a wide arc as the beast crumpled to the ground in pieces. Without stopping, Alexander leaped forward, his eyes locking onto his next target. A boar charging at him with tusks as thick as tree trunks. He didn''t flinch. With a swift flick of his wrist, his blade sliced clean through its skull, halting its advance in an instant. The beast toppled, its eyes already dull as its lifeblood pooled beneath it. The sword in his hand trembled, seemingly excited. It was thrilled to be used to slay its enemies and being bathed in the blood of the beasts. The sword glowed even redder as it absorbed the blood, and Alexander felt his power growing stronger with each kill. He knew this was the unique passive of the sword Infernal Fury, the blade was being fueled by blood. The werebear, watching the slaughter unfold, roared in rage and charged, its massive claw aimed at Alexander''s back. But Alexander was faster. In just a blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of the beast, his eyes glowing with a dangerous light. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The werebear''s claw descended with terrifying force, but it met only air. Alexander had vanished again, his sword was a blur image as it cut clean through the Werebear''s arm. *pluck As it dropped in the ground, the beast howled in agony, its severed limb hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Blood gushed from the wound like a river, but the werebear had no time to react no more. Alexander then reappeared behind it, and in a single fluid motion, his blade sliced through the beast''s back. The werebear''s enormous body convulsed as it was hacked into pieces in just a second, its flesh and bones scattered across the blood-soaked battlefield. Alexander stood amidst the carnage, his sword dripping with the blood of his enemies. The air was thick with the scent of blood and death, yet his expression remained cold and detached. The villagers were all swallowing their breaths, looking at this with pale faces. It was so gruesome, a scene of pure mass destruction, whenever they saw the young man appear. It was as if every beast who met him met their end without struggling at all. His sword Infernal Fury was constantly absorbing the blood in its possession, strengthening Alexander by 40%, which is a huge boost. Above the tree, far from both the villagers and Alexander, two men in black suits looked at this with shocked faces. The power the young man they had fought yesterday was actually holding back his power. "This, this! Big brother, this kid''s level is actually above Grandmaster. He must have already reached the Ascendant Stage. I think we''re no match for him," the man in black suit spoke, truly terrified by what he was seeing. The man who was Bernard looked at this with a frown on his face. He then shook his head and sneered. "Don''t underestimate our strength, little brother. If a man and a beast fight while they''re at the same realm, the beast always wins. Since a human is still a human. While a beast is a beast." He muttered, his breath was heavy with confidence. "Don''t worry about it, since he''ll be at our feet sooner or later. Even though he''s strong, he''ll be no match for us," he finished. The other man in the black suit nodded, agreeing with his brother''s words. "We''ll just let the kid do the work. Since he''s doing us the favor in powering up the blood gem for our own use. Hahaha!" he laughed maniacally. The little brother also laughed, as his brother was very cunning in letting someone else do the job for him. Alexander, who didn''t know he was being used like a puppet, didn''t even care. Since he was here to avenge Aeloria''s big brother, this was also good for him since his level would rise from this. As the beasts circled the area, one of them slipped towards the gathering villagers. He just sneered and threw his sword, whistling through the air, hitting the boar on the forehead, instantly killing it. He then tapped the ground with his foot, disappearing in a blur and reappearing where his sword was. He then went in circles, ensuring no villagers were hurt by the beasts that were appearing around them. He didn''t stop as more waves of beasts came towards him. A Skyhawk even tried to snatch his head but was cut in two pieces. He then threw a barrage of sword strikes at every beast that came, their numbers were steadily decreasing. Even if the flying creatures tried to attack the villagers, they couldn''t since he could just pick up a pebble and hit their fragile heads, instantly killing them. Finally, the wave ended. As Alexander stood like a butcher in a pile of dead beasts, the air pungent with the smell of blood, which was incredibly foul. Their body parts were scattered everywhere. Alexander''s mind was slowly being corrupted. Since he had been using his skill for almost 30 minutes, and the side effects of [Bloodlust] and [Berserker Instinct] were taking a toll on him. He felt the urge to surrender to his berserker self, and let his mind slumber so it can do what ever it wants. If it wasn''t for his skill, ''Heart of Stone'', he wasn''t sure if he could have stayed in that form for even 20 minutes. But thanks to it, he could control it for about 30 minutes or more, before the effects intensified. He sighed in relief, realizing how useful this skill if its in a tight position. [Bloodlust was deactivated] [Berserker Instinct was deactivated] The system prompted as his eyes returned to normal. He also stored his sword, Infernal Fury, in his system storage. The heavy killing aura that surrounded him disappeared like thin air being blown out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breathed as he opened them yet again, he finally come back to his original self. "System show me my status" Alexander said inwardly. [Status Experience: 62/21,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 30 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 20 Strength: 71 Speed: 68 Agility: 67 Dexterity: 52 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 72 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Looking at his stats, he was surprised. His level had actually risen by 3 levels! He was about to close the system panel when another panel appeared. [Congratulations to the Host for reaching level 20. New function of the system is unlocked. The rewards will be shown after the Host completes the mission.] The system stated, making him stunned. He wondered what the new function was since he had unlocked so many things already. "Is it another money generator? I really hope it is. Since more generators mean more money," he spoke inwardly, wishing for it to be something like that. Chapter 63 Alexander then closed the panel and looked behind him, his expression returning to a calm one. He slowly walked to a corpse, carrying it from the ground.Its neck was bitten, where the lungs was visible, its legs torn off from being ravaged by the beast. But the smile adorning the man''s face, even though blood was sliding out, was so vivid. The expression of dying not of agony and fear, but pure relief was a sight to see. Alexander truly idolized this kind of person. Aeloria then ran towards him, holding Anya''s hand. "Uncle Barry," she spoke, biting her lip, her eyes watery, as she looked at his body being carried. "Big sister," Anya mumbled, hugging Aeloria to minimize the emotional pain. Alexander, after finishing his glance at the man, shifted his gaze towards Aeloria. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Let''s go and bury his dead body, so we can let him rest in peace now," Alexander uttered to her. Aeloria was reluctant to see him be buried, but she agreed since this was really needed. Alexander and the two then left the village. With that wave of beast attack, out of all the villagers only one person was hurt. To make it worse, he had died. "Brother, that kid just left. Aren''t you going to stabilize the situation now?" The man in black spoke, seeing that Alexander had left. Bernard nodded his head with a smile of satisfaction, "Go ahead and slashed me with that blade of yours" he spoke looking towards him, as he leaped down above the trees. "What! why should I hurt you?" the man asked with a stunned expression, as he also leaped down. He had no idea why he wants to injure his own self, "Are you stupid! Of course to make those idiots to believe that I fight my way to theirs. If I came there unscatched then I''ll be suspicious" he explained. The little brother was in awe from his older brother wisdom, "Big brother is mighty, and really smart" he said as stars forming in his eyes. "Of course I am, aren''t I the older one in this family the first place" he said with pride, "Now hurry and took out your dagger, and slashed me the more vivid it was the believable it is" he finished spreading his arms. The little brother nodded, taking out a small dagger. He then slashed it with a sneer on his face, his eyes glinting wildly. When the tip of the dagger hit his front body diagonally, he puked a mouthful of blood, stumbling back several steps. "You, you! Why did you use too much force? Are you trying to kill me?" he exclaimed in anger. "What do you think, brother? Hahaha, it hurts doesn''t it?" he said, his eyes glinting maliciously. Seeing his brother''s expression and unusual behavior, he was starting to have a bad premonition. He hurriedly stood up, clutching his bleeding chest, looking at him angrily. Experience more on empire "Are you stupid! Let me ask you again, why are you trying to kill me? Aren''t we brothers?" he said after standing up. Hearing his words, he spat on the ground and looked at him like an idiot. "Brothers? I''ve been waiting for this my whole life. Do you think I wouldn''t know that you were keeping a secret from me?" he said with pure anger. Hearing what he said, he was stunned and looked at his angry face. "What do you mean? What secrets?" he asked, sweat forming on his forehead. "Hahaha, I know you know what I''m talking about. Don''t tell me you''ve forgotten that you fed my beast companion to your big snake? Do you think I was blind at that time?" he angrily shouted. Now that the secrets was out he laughed and look at him, "Isn''t that just a weak beast. Why do you care about its life, its nothing more than a livestock to become lunch for strong beast. Didn''t I already told you that I''m going to feed it to my snake since it would help me evolved it to the next level" he spoke, towards him. "But did I agree! You do know that was the gift of our mother when she passed away. Now that you have taken mine, I will take everything you have when you die!" he shouted full of anger. "Are you really serious? You still care about that bitch mother of ours? She died when we were young. She was really useless for bringing us to this world with nowhere for us to live and enjoy life like others. If you want to avenge her, then you''re just like her, a useless scum," Bernard retorted, not feeling guilty at all. "Also, do you even have the power to kill me? Are you dreaming? I''m one level higher than you. Even if I''m heavily injured, you can''t kill me," Bernard said with disdain. Hearing the words "bitch" and "useless," he was very angry, "We wouldn''t have come to this if you had at least respected her when she died and didn''t kill her last gift for me. This time, it''s do or die," he shouted, his voice is heavy with emotion. "You insolence! If I don''t teach you a lesson, you''ll think that I''m weak and softhearted," Bernard muttered under his breath as he rushed forward, closing the distance in a blink. He tried to sidestep to dodge it, but Bernard quickly maneuvered himself, using his foot to change direction. When they were close, he released a palm strike, covered with condensed energy. The impact was vigorous and overwhelming. But the man in the black suit blocked it, but due to the huge difference in strength, it passed through his defense, hitting him in the abdomen. He flew like a bullet, hitting the bark of the tree with his back. He fell to the ground, kneeling, with blood oozing from his mouth. Bernard was about to rush again when suddenly he felt his energy being swallowed. "You, what did you do to me?" he said angrily, surprised by the sudden changes in his body. "Hahaha, my big brother, do you really think I''m stupid? I know that I can''t beat you even if I injure you heavily. So I coated the blade with a poison, Etherbind. I think I don''t need to explain the special properties of this poison, right?" he said, ending with a laugh as he slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth. "You, you! I swear I will kill you!" Bernard said with red eyes. He clearly knew the special effects of this kind of poison, since it was famous in the continent, but it is considered rare, since its hard to be produced. If a person gets hit by this, especially a warrior, it will literally bind them down. Their abilities and supernatural strength will be sealed, making them a normal person. "Kill me? Are you hallucinating, my dear brother? You can''t even move, and you still want to kill me?" he said disdainfully as he rushed like a bullet, hitting him in the stomach. The sound of flesh being smacked was heard so loud. Bernard who was hit spat a mouthful of blood as he flew and fell to the ground. With his eyes wide open, he couldn''t move anymore. "Not so tough are you now? Before I kill you, I will steal your hard work first," he said with a wide grin on his face. But first, before he did that, he tore off his face. There seemed to be a layer of skin, just like a mask, hiding his real face. The same as his little brother, his face was also terrifying to look at. "I want to see your real face before taking everything. So, you''d better cherish this moment," he said, holding him by the neck, lifting him off the ground. As for the real village chief? No one knows what happened to him. But if you looked carefully, it was clear he was already dead. When he was being carried up, the man slowly exerted force. Suddenly, his hand glowed darker, with an ominous feeling. Bernard, if that was his real name at all, felt like the energy inside him was being absorbed. "You, you! Don''t tell me you joined the Blood Moon Cult. This absorption method is only accessible to those members of this cult. I can''t believe I let a floating time bomb get close to me!" he said with regret, but there was nothing he could do. His level slowly became lower and lower, and the man''s aura slowly increased. His level, which was in the Battle Master stage, rose to Grandmaster. While Bernard turned into a dead corpse that looked like it hadn''t eaten for years. "Thanks for the meal," the man said, feeling the overwhelming power coursing through him. He then lowered his legs a little and took something from his big brother''s pocket. It was a black rock, that is the size of a fingernail. He then put it in his pocket while he left the place. Now the only thing he needed to do was finish his plan, which was to get the blood gem to increase his big brother''s beast companion''s level and avenge himself against the kid who beat him up. Chapter 64 Alexander and the two were already far from the village, they were in a place filled with serenity and beauty. It was a peaceful scene of a forest clearing bathed in the golden light of the radiating sun.The foreground was made up of a lush expanse of green grass, dotted with delicate white wildflowers. A large, sturdy tree stood in the center, where its branches reaching out towards the sky, casting long shadows across the clearing. The sun, peeking through the branches, created a warm glow that illuminated the place. There was already a hole dug, big enough for a whole person. Alexander didn''t bury the body with dirt first, but looked at Aeloria beside him. Aeloria, who had already accepted her uncle''s death in name, still knelt and prayed in respect. Even though she was sad, she could only give him a farewell, hoping his next life would be something grander. "Alex, I''m good now. You can let Uncle Barry rest in peace. Thank you," she said, looking at him with her runny nose. She was like a child, from her current appearance. He nodded his head and took the shovel, burying the dead. Seeing the man slowly being buried in the ground until his face could no longer be seen, tears started to form in her eyes again. Anya seeing this, hugged her tightly. "Big sister, don''t worry, Anya will never disappear, and never ever going to leave you. I promised," she mumbled in a soft tone. Her heart, which had been wrenching in pain, seemed to have calmed down a little, when it was fully buried. Aeloria picked up a white flower and placed it on the buried corpse. "This little sister of yours is happy to have someone like you, Uncle Barry. Farewell," she said as she placed the white flower. "Anya, go ahead and pick up a flower and put it at the three burial grounds. To pay respect to your uncle and also to your parents," Aeloria instructed, since the place was also where Anya''s parents were buried. Anya nodded and put some flowers at each burial ground. Alexander stood behind the two of them, watching this scene. He kept silent as the two finished paying their respects. He was staring at this scene, while his mind is wandering. He imagined where his piece-of-shit grandfather was already dead, so he could piss on his own coffin. The old man had already lived far too long, and at least with this his anger could be extinguished a little. "Alex, let''s go back," Aeloria muttered, already standing in front of him. He was still lost in his own dream, doing stupid things at that old man''s burial place. When he heard Aeloria''s voice, it snapped him out of his dreamy state. [I sometimes mashed up Aeloria''s name to Aoleria and sometimes Aerolia. I should have made her name easier to remember, since every time I type, I have to double-check.] "Are you done?" Alexander asked, looking at her face. "Yes," she mumbled, only one word. Alexander nodded his head as they left the place. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Find adventures on empire As they were walking back, Anya seemed to be a little tired, maybe because of the emotional and psychological happenings earlier. He carried her on his back, and Anya slept soundly with a smile. Seeing the two, with Alex acting like a father with a child, she couldn''t help but feel warm from this scene. They went home on a quiet journey. In a cave, the man in the black suit, whose face was already on display, shouted. "Big snake, hurry up and greet your master," his voice echoing through the place. Suddenly, a slithering sound was heard, as the big serpent arrived again. Seeing its blood-red eyes, the man was not afraid. The serpent, that was sensing something wrong, looked at the man in front of him. Suddenly, it smelled the blood of its master on its master''s younger brother. The serpent hissed angrily, turning ferocious suddenly, knowing that its master must have been killed. It slithered forward, wanting to avenge its master. The man just smiled at this, taking something from his pocket. When the snake was just three steps away, it stopped, feeling pain within itself. It slumped down to the ground, rolling in pain. The man was holding the black stone, that is the size of a fingernail in his hand. He laughed, seeing that the serpent was wriggling in pain on the ground. "You little beast, don''t think you can defy me. What I have in my hand is the black stone that is connected to your heart. If I break it, you will die. You better listen to my command, or I''ll kill you," the man said, releasing his killing intent to make the beast submit to him. Seeing that it had no choice, the serpent reluctantly nodded, accepting the person who killed its master as its new master. Seeing that he had finally tamed the beast, the man laughed, feeling elated. "Now, I want you to get back and sleep. I will call you again when it''s time to move," he stated, which the serpent seemed to understand. It then slithered its way to the deepest part of the cave, while the man sat in a lotus position to consolidate the energy he had absorbed earlier. Leaving it unchecked could cause a strain inside him. As Alexander arrived at the wooden house, he went inside and slowly put Anya on the bed. He did it carefully, afraid that she would wake up. When he put her in the bed, he then got up and sat at the table outside. He was lost in a deep thought, trying to figure out how to deal with the problem. He needed to investigate tonight to find out the source that is controlling the beasts. Aeloria, seeing him alone, took the seat across the table and pulled it next to him. Alexander, seeing this, just glanced at her. She looked okay now, since her face seemed livelier, and she looked fully invigorated. "Alex, is there a problem? Why are you spacing out, and you seem to be in a deep thought?" she asked, looking at him in the eye. Hearing her question, he just shook his head and smiled reassuringly. "Don''t worry, I''m just thinking about something," he replied. Hearing this, she nodded her head and shifted her gaze in front where the trees were standing. But sometimes, she would take a peek at him, making her blush. Alexander didn''t notice this since he was focusing on how to catch that bastard Bernard off guard. As he thought for a while, he made a choice and decided to rush to Bernard''s residence tonight when everyone was asleep. Suddenly, he felt something soft lean on his shoulder. He froze for a moment and lowered his head a little. He saw that Aeloria''s head was leaning on his shoulder, making him stunned by this sudden happening. He didn''t know what he should do, so he stayed quiet. Meanwhile, Aeloria''s face was so red. What she did was really bold, "You girl, what are you doing? This is so embarrassing!" she exclaimed inwardly, her heart jumping wildly in her chest. Alexander glanced at her again. Suddenly, his eyes darted down her neckline, seeing her fair skin and cleavage. He couldn''t help but be captivated by the sight. He was about to linger on it when Aeloria suddenly looked up, catching him in the act. He hurriedly looked away, trying to seem innocent. Aeloria, seeing him staring at her deeply, looked at the place where he was looking, and it was her chest, exposed through the neckline of her clothes. She was embarrassed and looked down, "Do you want to touch it? I don''t mind," she muttered in a mosquito-like voice, her face turning crimson. Alexander, hearing this, was stunned. His mind was saying no, but his mouth betrayed him. "I can?" he muttered. He was stunned at how quickly his mouth had spoken. His hormones were really high now that he had reached 18 years old. Hearing him reply so fast, she was very embarrassed to say anything. As she just only nods her head. Seeing her approval, he really wanted to do it, but he stopped since this is not good, "Hahaha, It''s just a joke! I should leave for now to observe the surroundings," he said with a broken laugh as he slowly let her sit up. He then dashed into the forest at high speed. He was very afraid of committing a crime in broad daylight. Aeloria was stunned, seeing him escape so fast. She froze for a moment, then laughed heartily when he was gone. Her laugh was like a melody as she watched him leave. She then stopped and looked down. Slowly, she took her two hands, fumbling her plump breast that seems like she was massaging it. "Is my breast not attractive enough, or is he not manly enough to do it?" she mumbled in a low voice, squeezing it, feeling its softness like that of a marshmallow. Alexander was already far away from his current location. He took a deep breath and sighed in relief. He knew that the two of them couldn''t be together. If he had acted on his impulse, and when the mission was done, where couldn''t come back here anymore, Aeloria would be left alone leaving his responsibility. So, instead of just focusing on his little brother, he needs to think about her too. Chapter 65 Alexander wandered in the forest to pass time, only returning when it was time for lunch. When he came back, there was no awkwardness, making him sigh in relief. Anya also woke up around that time. Since he had nothing to do in the afternoon, he played ''Tag You''re It'' with Anya.Aeloria just watched this scene, where Anya ran towards her, holding her hands and dragging her into the game. She reluctantly agreed to play, and Alexander made sure to lower his speed so the game would be more enjoyable if he was catchable. Finally, night struck, and it was time. After finishing his lunch, Anya went to sleep. Alexander rested for a while, and he saw Aeloria exit the wooden house and walk towards him. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked, noticing that his behavior seemed to be waiting for something. "Yes, Aeloria. Can I ask you something?" he said, looking at her. "Sure," she replied with a blush, seeing him so serious. "When the beasts attack, do they constantly go on a rampage every day, or is this the first time for it to occur?" he asked. Hearing the question, she realized it was something serious and not personal at all. She felt sad for a moment but didn''t show it. "Well, to tell you the truth, they attacked the village every 3-4 days before they attacked again. It''s kind of strange for them to do it this time for over two consecutive days," she said, smelling something fishy. Alexander nodded, "I see" he muttered in reply, this ignited his curiosity on why they increased the pace. "If the beasts attack the village again tomorrow, he must be prepared that day," he thought, but seeing his silence, she was confused and asked again, "Where are you going, in this time of the night?" "Nothing, I''m going to pay the village chief a visit to have a private talk with him," he said calmly, but the coldness in his eyes was circulating. Seeing him like this, while mentioning the village chief, and sensing his growing anger, she was confused. "Don''t tell me you are expecting the village chief to be the cause of this?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. Seeing that he had been seen through, he nodded his head in reply. "Yes, I don''t want to tell you this since I have no evidence yet. But think about it carefully. During the first beast attack, he was late to come, and he seemed fine. There was no hint of panic in his face at all." "To tell you the truth, I fought two men in black suits yesterday that seemed to be the cause of this, and I felt the mastermind''s aura was the same as your village chief. I didn''t expose him yet, since no one would believe a stranger on his first day, right?" "Lastly, earlier this morning, you didn''t see him, right? With this, you can clearly see that he was hiding something," he finished, looking at Aeloria. Not knowing that the man who was impersonating the village chief was already dead. Listening to his explanations, Aeloria couldn''t help but think for a moment. Seeing her half-believing him, he spoke, "Don''t worry if you don''t believe me, that is fin-" He did not finish when his words were cut off by Aeloria. "I believe you Alex. Since it''s you after all," she said with a smile. Alexander couldn''t help but feel a sudden warmth. He smiled at her and replied, "That''s good, but you need to stay inside and don''t go out, okay? I''ll be back after I''m done." "Be careful in your way, try to avoid danger if ever," Aeloria spoke with concern. Alexander nodded with a smile, motioning for her to go inside. Feeling reluctant for him to leave, she just nodded and went inside the wooden house. Seeing her safely inside, Alexander walked to the path leading to the village. Since it was night, there were no other villagers on the road. His movements were quiet, concealing himself. He was like a shadow, moving at a constant speed. No one could catch a glimpse of him at all, since he was so fast. Suddenly, he stopped just outside the door of a big wooden house. He knew that this must be the house of the village chief, since it was the only one that looked different from the others, since it has its very own balcony. He then leaped up to the balcony and looked at the windows, which were dark inside. Opening the door, he went inside. Walking in, he saw that there were at least two small doors leading to something. He slowly walked and he opened the two doors but found nothing insde. He then walked to the stairs, checking every room in the house. He went to the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, there was nothing to find at all. Suddenly his eyes caught something in the table. What he saw was a coffee in a small mug, which hadn''t been touched yet. It was also cold, making him stop in his tracks for a moment. "Did he not come back? Or did he run off to escape after seeing my prowess?" Alexander thought deeply, but no answer came. "Let''s check everything to see if he leaves any clues at all," Alexander muttered, as he checked every room again. Like the drawers, every wall, and even under the beds and tables. He even tried to knock on every wall and floor, searching for any secret passage, since he had seen this a lot on TV, but he didn''t find anything, making him frown. "That bastard is good at keeping secrets. There''s no clue at all," he cursed inwardly, deciding to go back since there was nothing to be found at all. He quickly left the place like a shadow, leaving no traces of what he did. He was like a gust of air as he was outside the balcony. Running fast towards the forest, he decided to stay outside of Aeloria''s house for a bit to observe the surroundings. The same thing happened again that night. Alexander was cultivating, as the red gemstones glowing once more. The beasts, located far from the village, began to convulse, while rolling on the ground as if their souls were being ripped from their bodies. They all began to struggle, as their eyes turning red, before passing out. As early morning struck, they all woke up. This time, Alexander was already in the outskirts of the village and saw this scene about them rising from the dead. He saw the beasts wake up one by one and charge into the village, attacking in all directions. He hurriedly went back, waking the two girls, and then brought them to the villagers. He then took out his swords, vanquishing them one by one. Discover stories at empire With his increased in stats, the beasts, which were like insects, became even lower than insects. Fueled by the massive buffs from both of his skill [Bloodlust] and [Berserker Instinct], no beast could come close to the villagers houses at all. His speed was like teleportation as he arrived before their eyes could blink, killing them with a few hits. When he killed all of them, the villagers started to feel more aggrieved, knowing that the beasts seemed to become more active now. Luckily, the young warrior is here if not. They would have died many times already. When everything was done, Alexander instructed all of them to clean up the place. Alexander then went to the old woman he had saved yesterday. "Auntie, can Aeloria and Anya stay in your home for a while? Since their place is far, and I''m really afraid that the beasts are going to attack yet again, if they are located far away from the village" Alexander asked, feeling worried for the two. The old woman agreed to his request without a second thought, "Sure, young warrior. What you are doing is already a great favor to us. I''m happy to be able to help you at all," she said with a smile. Alexander smiled then left for a moment. He then went towards the two, relaying his plans. Aeloria just listened and agreed, like a young girl following his elders. The two then went towards the old woman''s place, while Alexander went to investigate, but the result was nothing. The man in black had no time to care about Alexander since his focus this time was on increasing his level. He was just waiting for Alexander to fully charge the blood gem, so he can used it. [Mission: Saved the Village Difficulty: Medium Reward: +3 Level, Random Middle grade item, and New system function. Description: You will be transported to another world on an Island called ''Mistveil Island''. The goal of this is to keep the village ''Ariana'' from the beast attacks and find the mastermind attracting this beast. You will be transported after 3 days, please be prepared. Failing the mission, will make the host experience sperm cramps for 1 week with 100% pain intensity. Time Remaining: 21 days] Seeing that he still had plenty of time, he didn''t need to worry about it. He could also level up by having the beasts constantly attack the village, so he just let them rampage. Since it was also for his best interest. He was so focused on this that he didn''t notice the gem, which was just a simple red gem, was becoming darker, seeming to look like dark blood. He had been here for about six days in the village, where his job every day was to kill beasts. [Status Experience: 23/25,000 sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 36 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 24 Strength: 74 Speed: 71 Agility: 71 Dexterity: 55 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 75 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] As he finished his work of slaying the beasts, the villagers, who seemed to have gotten used to it, watched him were still in awe. They really loved the feeling of seeing someone strong in action. It was a rare sight, even if it was just repetitive since they are all normal people. When night struck, Alexander took a deep rest. But first, he greeted the old woman in her house, where Anya and Aeloria were residing. Aeloria had made some evening meal to replenish his stomach, which he ate heartily. In the far side of the village, a beast with black eyes in the dark forest, seemed to sense a strong fluctuation of energy. He felt that if he went there now, he could break through. So the beast didn''t think twice. In the darkness, he stood up and spread his wings, hidden from the view. But its sheer power could not be underestimated at all. When it spread his wings, the trees shook, and some were even uprooted from the ground with just a swing of them. With a screech, the creature let out a terrifying roar. The beasts who were in the area were afraid, their bodies were shaking uncontrollably as they ran far away from the beast. The man inside the cave also stood up, opening his eyes full of energy. "Just one day remaining, then it''s time for the harvest," he muttered as he left the cave. This night would be a sleepless night for the villagers and Alexander. Chapter 66 [Editing Done] Alexander, who was inside was alone, of course he had a room of his own, he had no idea that danger was coming towards the village.He was about to cultivate when the door was opened. It made a small creaking sound as a woman came in. He was sitting in the bed in a lotus position as he sat upright on it, seeing that the woman is none other than Aeloria making him furrow his brows. "Are you alright, Alex? You seem to be overworking yourself in these past few days," she asked as she sat beside him, her voice tinged with concern. Hearing her concerns, he just smiled and shook his head. "Don''t worry about me. My energy is like a raging bull. How could I become tired even if I''m overworking myself?" he muttered. Aeloria hearing this just laughed softly, which made Alexander freeze up a bit. He then decided to ask what her reasons for coming here late this night. "Is Anya already asleep? What happens if she wakes up, not seeing you there?" he asked. "Don''t worry, she''s already in a deep sleep. She was insisting to sleep with Grandma May, so there is nothing to worry about," she replied, answering him. He nodded his head in reply and asked, "Are you still not sleepy? It''s already so late at night," he asked, looking at her in the face. Aeloria just glanced around the room and replied, "I can''t sleep," she said with a giggle. "Ohh," he nodded his head, but why is she in my room though? That is the thing he does not know. The silence inside the room was so loud that only their breaths could be heard. At this time, Aeloria was playing with his finger, wanting to say something. "Is there something you need? Don''t worry, you can ask me anything as long as it''s achievable," he muttered, trying to ease her, so he can know. Experience more on empire "Umm, actually there is," she replied. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" she uttered, her cheeks were red from her words. Inside her, she was screaming at how bold she was with this. Alexander, who was just chilling, was momentarily stunned from what he heard. He looked at her with a stunned face. "What did you say!" He exclaimed again as his hands were trembling. "I said, can I sleep with you tonight. Don''t let me repeat it again, it''s embarrassing," she muttered in a very low voice, even her redness reached her ears. Alexander didn''t know what to say. This is the first time for him to hear this kind of words. Like, what is he going to say? He had no experience, but since she was just going to sleep, then he will just let her sleep. Hearing no reply, Aeloria took it as an agreement. She slowly crawled up in the bed, lying down where her back was facing him. Alexander, seeing her reaction, he was calm as the lake, but his heart was trembling. His proud skill ''Heart of Stone'' was practically a little useless in this situation. So he also lay down, but since the bed wasn''t really that big some direct contact is inevitable, because it was only made for one person. Meanwhile Aeloria was thinking deeply remembering something, just a few days ago when they live here the old woman which she called Grandma May have a talk about her. "Aeloria, do you like that young warrior? You can tell me, and don''t worry, I will keep it a secret," Grandma May asked when they were sitting in the living room alone. Aeloria, who was just sitting in the chair, dazing off, was stunned by Grandma May''s words. She blushed all of a sudden, as the shyness on her face was so vivid. "Grandma May, how can you say that? I don''t like him, at all," she replied, but her face betrayed the validity of her words at all. Grandma May just smiled knowingly, "Aiyah, Aeloria, you don''t need to be so shy. I can see that your eyes always soften whenever you talk to him. You''re like a child whenever you were with him. You do know that I''m not blind these past few days," she spoke with a serious tone. Aeloria, hearing her words, blushed. She didn''t know that it was actually so obvious. But how come Alex did not notice at all? Grandma May, seeing her so shy, couldn''t help but reminisce about her young days. It was a day filled with love and romance. Now that she is old, she still couldn''t forget this feeling. "If you want some guidance, this old lady can offer you some advice on how you could win him. Since you can greatly see how capable the young warrior was, I don''t think that he doesn''t lack any admirers at all," Grandma May spoke seriously, since she really wants Aeloria to take this chance while Alexander was here. Aeloria stopped and was now in deep thought. What Grandma May said in front of her is really true. She knows how capable Alex is, since he was still young but was already so capable. His future would be much brighter than any other man, and because of that he wouldn''t lack any woman at all. This made her heart uneasy thinking about this. Seeing her anxiety, Grandma May couldn''t help but smile naughtily. "So Aeloria, do you want some advice?" Grandma May inquired again, with a smile. "Yes, Grandma May, please teach me," she replied, wanting to learn the skills. "That''s good, Aeloria. You need to woman up for this. Now first, what do you think is the best way to conquer a man?" she asked Aeloria with a serious face. Aeloria hearing this, was in a deep thought trying to know the question. But nothing came to her mind, "I don''t know grandma, what is it?" she asked, hastily not knowing the answer. Grandma May couldn''t help but sigh and answered, "To conquer a man, of course is to cook him a meal every day. He will be conquered by your cooking skills as time goes by, but it has a low success rate. But there is one thing that you can do to conquer him in just one try," she stated with a knowing gaze. Aeloria nodded her head at the first since she knows that Alex really loved her cooking and sometimes complimented her about it. But that''s just about it, so she looked at Grandma May again and asked. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What is the best strategy, Grandma May?" she asked with an innocent face. Seeing her ignorance, that seems to have no idea what she was implying, she was very surprised that her mind was still innocent after the recent happenings. She could not help but shook her head, "You know what I am talking about, of course sleep with him" she exclaimed. Listening to her sudden raise of volume, she was stunned. Hearing what the most effective strategy was, made her freeze in the chair. Her face was so red, reaching both her neck and ears. She didn''t deny the idea but was so embarrassed to reply. "Aeloria, trust me. I can see that young Alex is a responsible person. If something did happen, he won''t let it be. So, this is the best chance for you to do what you wanted," she uttered, lecturing her like a student. Aeloria nodded her head and replied in a mosquito voice. "I''ll try," she muttered, and that came to their end of conversation. She tried to look for some chances these past few days, but there''s nothing, since sometimes. She can see how busy Alex was. But this time, because Grandma May wanted to give her this chance, she talked with Anya to have a night sleep with her. With this chance, Grandma May looked at her, indicating her to act now, while she held Anya''s hands, leading her to her room. Aeloria was shy seeing how expectant Grandma May was, so she poured all her courage just for this. Now, this leads to the current situation. The position they are in the bed was lying sideways so they can fit in the bed. Alexander was in a dilemma, he couldn''t move at all. His hands were being pinned down from his body. Since his back was already hitting the wall of the room, so he couldn''t move at all. To find a comfortable spot, he tried to lift it a little, but he accidentally applied a little force, making it fly, hitting something soft and bouncy. "Shit," he cursed inwardly, seeing that his hands suddenly smacked her butt. He looked at her, waiting for her scolding, but she was so quiet at all. But he can hear his heavy breathing, even though she can''t see her. Suddenly, Aeloria turned sideways, with their eyes facing each other. Alexander could see how charming she was in this situation, added by her loose shirt, he couldn''t help but want to commit a crime. "Alexander, do you want to?" she muttered, lowering her gaze. Her tone was so flirtatious as her face was red as a tomato. Alexander, hearing this, felt like he was thrown in a cold river. He gritted his teeth and accepted his faith. He quickly rolled and pinned her down in the bed as both his hands were placed on her shoulders. Aeloria was taken by surprise. Alexander was now on top of her, as she evaded his gaze, feeling so embarrassed. Both of her delicate hands were on her chest, feeling her heartbeat that was racing so fast. "Are you sure, you''re not going to regret it?" Alexander muttered in a heavy breath, as his nostrils flared. Aeloria just nodded her head that is positioned sideways. She was so shy that she couldn''t look at him at all. Seeing the reply, Alexander couldn''t handle it anymore. He slowly caressed her shoulders, feeling the heat all over him was intensifying. His fingers ran across her skin just like a gentle breeze, reaching over her neck as it slowly slid down. But before it reached her cleavage, he took his fingers back. He held her two hands delicately as he placed them steadily on the sides to not cover up the view. He can see that her chest was heaving up and down, with the cherry tips of her breast becoming a little transparent because of the thin fabric of her clothes. He couldn''t help but suck in a deep breath, seeing this scene. He slowly lowered his head to her peerless white neck as he pressed his lips. Meanwhile, Aeloria was closing her eyes, feeling hot all over her. She couldn''t help but release a soft moan, feeling his hot breath on her neck. Hearing this, the fire in him was ignited and was now out of control. He was about to begin, but suddenly, he stopped. He felt a strong presence that was moving at a fast speed. Its aura was getting heavier and heavier as seconds passed. No matter how reluctant he was, he couldn''t help but stop. But before he got off from her, he sucked her neck, making Aeloria electrified. As he stepped back, he could see the hickey, a bruised-like mark caused by sucking it. "Aeloria, let''s stop for a while. Hurry up and wake Anya and Grandma May," he muttered as he got off the bed, looking at the side of the wall, sensing the presence. Aeloria feeling the hot breath in her neck stopped, and hearing his words, was stunned at first. She opened her eyes and saw his serious face. She hurriedly stood up on the bed, sensing that something must have happened for him to act like this. "Is there a problem, Alex?" she asked, seeing him being so serious, like never before. Alexander just stopped from his daze and looked at her with a smile. "Don''t worry, it''s just a small problem. Hurry up and wake up the two and find a safe place to hide. When I come back, you better be prepared," he spoke, feeling angry from the approaching creature or beast for disturbing him. Aeloria hearing him blushed but deep inside she was a little angry since she was also expecting it to happen tonight. She then went out, waking up Anya and Grandma May, relaying what Alex said earlier. While Alexander was outside of the house, above the roof of the house, up in the sky with the full moon in its background, he saw a huge flying creature filled with an overpowering presence. Chapter 67 alexander realized the flying beast before him was a formidable one, its presence was even more daunting than the rat''s. he was unsure of his ability to combat it, but he knew he had no choice."i cannot allow it to reach the village, or there will be a bloodbath," he roared, sprinting toward the forest and leaping into the trees. propelled like a cannonball, he aimed to cut off its path. as he soared, a sword materialized in his right hand, blazing with an infernal glow. drawing nearer, he caught a fleeting look at the creature''s form. it is a monstrous creature with a reptilian appearance. it has large, black leathery wings that are spread wide, giving it a menacing presence. the creature''s body is long and serpentine, with a thick, muscular torso and a long, tapering tail. its legs are short and powerful, with sharp claws at the end of each foot, and its head has a long, pointed snout with sharp teeth. its wings covered the sky, letting everyone know its presence. it was about 7 meters tall, clearly a sight to behold. alexander did not fret at all. he needs to give everything he got. gripping the handle of the sword in his hand, his eyes blazed red. [berserker instinct was activated] [berserker instinct: power increased by 10%.] [bloodlust was activated] [strength and speed increased by 60%] [status experience: 23/25,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 36 title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 24 strength: 74 -> 125 speed: 71 -> 120 agility: 71 dexterity: 55 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 75 charisma: 10 {max} with all his strength, he made a rough and heavy swing in mid-air as he hacked at the beast. the strike was swift and brutal. the flying creature seeing a shadow in its sight and realized it was a human. it narrowed its eyes and growled angrily as its black eyes glinted maliciously. before alexander could reach it to attack, the beast countered his strikes with a tail whip. alexander growled, being overpowered. the beast was so strong that even the scales of its tail were harder than steel, creating sparks and shockwaves that spread throughout the surroundings. seeing that the human in front of him had strength, the beast growled ferociously. it was so loud that the beasts in the surrounding area ran for their lives. the villagers were greatly woken up by the loud roar. getting outside of their homes, they saw something straight out of a nightmare. some of them kneeled on the ground, looking at it above the sky. "it''s the mighty flying creature of the night, ravenwing. we are all doomed," the villagers muttered, in dismay, as their life lost color all of a sudden. "we are doomed. that young man could not handle that beast at all. this is the end," another one added. they also saw alexander''s figure up in the sky, even though it was far away. aeloria and anya were also outside, seeing his opponent. she was also pale, seeing the appearance of the beast. she was trembling all over, seeing the flying beast in the night sky. "alex, please be safe. please be safe. please be alright," she prayed in her heart, since she knows how dangerous this beast is. ravenwing, a race of beasts called the nightwing. they are not the same as dragons, but their might and prowess cannot be underestimated at all. it is even stated that an adult ravenwing is truly terrifying, since it can destroy and cause mass destruction for some small cities. "everyone, we should escape and find a safe place to hide," one of the villagers suggested. the rest of them looked at him like an idiot. if they really do escape, where should they run off to? the forest? they will die from the beasts in there. also, even though they were afraid, they didn''t want to leave the young warrior who has been protecting them for days. experience more content on empire seeing the resolute look of the rest of the villagers, the one who suggested this gritted his teeth and decided to stay. but all of them took a step back to find a safer spot. the man in black, who was up in the forest, saw that a ravenwing appeared in the sky. "fuck, why is this beast here? was it also attracted to the blood gem? this is bad. it''s still not fully charged yet," he cursed. he could only pray for alexander to defeat it so he can use the blood gem for his self. but he didn''t put his trust in alexander at all. he clearly knows how strong a flying creature like that is. it was a spirit beast that had cultivated its body and spirit to a strong level. alexander, whose sword strike was blocked by the beast, and was being overpowered as the ravenwing increased the strength in its tail, making him fly back. he gritted his teeth, feeling the strong force of the beast. he flew like a meteor, but quickly balanced himself, landing on the ground with one knee. looking straight up, he leaped up again, as the ground beneath him caved in. sea??h th§× n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. he began to face it again, with another strike. the ravenwing looked at him disdainfully for being such a nuisance. it opened its huge jaw, releasing a roar that was devastatingly powerful. it seemed to break the sound barrier, creating a sonic wave. alexander was caught by surprise and was hit. his ears buzzed as he fell to the ground, creating a big crater. seeing him fall again, the villagers began to sigh, knowing that the young warrior was no match for it after all. alexander spurted a mouthful of blood. his body was greatly pinned to the ground, as he stood up from it. "this beast is really different from what i have fought. even with the buff of my skills, i am no match at all," alexander said with a frown. he didn''t know what to do since everything seemed to be working against him. suddenly, unknown to him, a smile was slowly forming on his face as he looked at the beast. not feeling scared at all, since he will not die, but if he dies then the people behind him will die. "it''s do or die right now," he muttered. his killing intent surged, as his strength increased. the beast hovered above, wings spread wide and casting a dark shadow over alexander. with a powerful beat of those wings, it sent a fierce gust of wind downward, nearly forcing him back to his knees. the ravenwing let out another growl, its piercing black eyes glinting with malice, as if relishing a low insect''s struggles. alexander steadied himself, gripping his sword tighter. he took a deep breath, focusing his energy and letting his strength surge through him. without hesitation, he leaped forward, aiming another strike at the creature''s chest. but the ravenwing anticipated his move, twisting its body just enough for alexander''s blade to barely scrape across its hardened scales, sending a scatter of sparks but doing no real damage at all. the ravenwing retaliated, swinging its tail with even greater speed. alexander barely managed to duck, feeling the force graze the top of his head. the shockwave from the impact caused a rattle in his bones. he skidded back, but he quickly launched himself forward yet again, with cold eyes, not to give it an inch of rest. he swung his sword down in a brutal arc, hoping to break through its defenses. but once again, the beast''s tail intercepted, blocking his strike effortlessly. gritting his teeth, alexander''s mind raced. he knew he had to find an opening, a weak point in its defenses. but the ravenwing wasn''t giving him any. every time he moved in, its tail, wings, or claws were there, deflecting his blows, creating a wall of impenetrable defense. "this beast is really such a headache," he bellowed, clearly irritated. the ravenwing''s laughter, a dark and rumbling sound, filled the air, mocking him for his attempts. enraged, alexander pushed himself harder, calling on every reserve of strength he had. his eyes turned crimson as he increased his strength. [berserker instinct: power increased by 30%.] he slashed at the beast with relentless speed, each strike faster and harder than the last, but it was like striking at an unbreakable stone. his hands began to ache from the impact, his arms growing heavier, but he refused to back down. once more, the beast opened its massive jaws, preparing to unleash another thunderous roar. this time, alexander braced himself, crossing his arms to shield his ears just as the sound exploded outward, shaking the very earth beneath him. the villagers gasped, watching helplessly as he was thrown back again, dust and debris clouding around his fallen form. slowly, alexander pushed himself up, blood trickling from his lips. his body screamed in pain, and yet, beneath it all, he felt the faintest hint of exhilaration. "alright, you flying creature," he muttered, while gritting his teeth, a fierce light is present in his eyes. "let''s see just how strong you really are." alexander said coldly, narrowing his eyes. he held the blade in his hand with a strong momentum, maximizing his strength. the aura surrounding him became thicker and stronger. [berserker instinct: power increased by 50%.] seeing him about to strike again, suddenly the beast growled loudly in the sky, as some small flying creatures covered the whole sky. there were not hundreds of them, but thousands. they were small flying creatures that had the same features as a ravenwing. the beast then growled, signaling all its lackeys to wreak havoc and wipe out everything. alexander just stood on his grounds, as a grin formed across his face. with this, he knows that if his blade absorbs this small creature''s blood, his strength will soar exponentially. "you have made a wrong move" alexander said with a laugh. Chapter 68 the sky darkened as the swarm of smaller creatures blotted out the stars, each one bearing a resemblance of the ravenwing''s ferocity.alexander''s grip on his sword tightened as he felt the surge of raw power from his skill [berserker instinct] the thick aura around him pulsed, shifting with his intent. his eyes gleamed with a cold red light as he steadied himself for the onslaught. the first wave of the smaller beasts dove down, screeching as they hurtled toward him. the villagers gasped at this scene, they could not fathom on how they could still be alive after this, aeloria hugged anya tightly as she looked at the thousands of flying creatures swooping down. alexander met them head-on, slicing through their body in a powerful arc. his blade flashed as it cut down several creatures in a single blow, blood spilling in the air, as dark red droplets fueling his strength with each strike. [unique passive activated: stats increased by 10%] he felt a familiar heat coursing through his veins as his power increased. another beast lunged at him from the side, but he turned swiftly, cleaving it in half and absorbing its blood. more creatures fell upon him, clawing and shrieking, but each one that met his blade only served to make him stronger. his aura flared brighter, and his speed and power rose with each kill. [stats increased by 20%] the creatures kept coming, relentless and unending, but alexander''s was very happy his movements were becoming more faster, his strikes becomes more harder, his focus began to turn sharper. he danced through the swarm, every slice of his blade another life taken, every drop of blood spilled another surge of power. the villagers watching from a distance could hardly believe their eyes, the god in front of their eyes when he fought the beast was appearing again. the ravenwing, observing from above, grew uneasy. it saw that the little insect aura was increasing over time making him surprised, it let out a furious roar, commanding more of its minions to attack in a desperate attempt to overwhelm him. but the sheer numbers only served to hasten alexander''s growth. his body hummed with raw energy, his movements a blur as he cleaved through the air, striking down beast after beast. he felt his strength swell further, nearly doubling now, every stat heightened to its limit. [stats increased by 80%] [unique passive of infernal fury was now at maximum] by now, the entire field was littered with the remains of the creatures, and alexander''s aura had transformed into a blazing force that seemed to rival the ravenwing''s own. blood streaked all over him, and yet he only grinned, his gaze locked onto the beast above. "come down and face me yourself!" he bellowed, his voice booming with the intensity of his power. [status experience: 23/25,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 36 title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 24 strength: 74 -> 215 speed: 71 -> 170 agility: 71 -> 133 dexterity: 55 -> 99 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 75 -> 135 charisma: 10 {max} his stats soared exaggertedly by maxing every unique passive and skill, he really had to thank the ravenwing for feeding him. in response, the ravenwing spread its wings wide, filling the sky with a furious black storm of energy. it dove toward alexander, ready to end the battle once and for all. but alexander was ready. fueled by the lives he''d taken, his blade thrummed with a deadly intent, sharper and more powerful than ever. as the ravenwing closed in, alexander leapt high into the air, meeting it head-on, his blade glowing with the blood-forged strength of countless kills. with a fierce roar, he swung down, the force of his strike igniting the very air around him as he aimed for the heart of the mighty beast. the beast roared angrily as its claws came into colliding with his attack, his claws were the three time bigger than his swords. its like a toothpick colliding with a knife, but no one is backing down. the ground shook as alexander''s legs sank into the earth, forming a crater that grew larger and deeper as they battled with sheer strength. even at full power, alexander was losing. the beast, perceiving this, let out a cold growl and used its wings to propel itself forward, aiming to crush the human before it into the ground. the intense force brought alexander to his knees, he felt as if the bones in his legs were being crushed slowly, emitting a cracking sound. the impact of their clash was monumental, creating a pit where alexander stood, now 15 feet deep, with the crater''s width expanding to 20 meters. the shockwave turned the surrounding area''s wind into a storm, causing even some smaller trees to topple. alexander, seemingly on the verge of passing out, had his vision blur and felt himself slowly succumbing. "system, allocate all of my free points to strength, i''m bringing this beast down with me!" he bellowed with all his might. "roger that, host," the system responded. [status experience: 23/25,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 36 -> 0 title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 24 strength: 110 -> 319 speed: 71 -> 170 agility: 71 -> 133 dexterity: 55 -> 99 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 75 -> 135 charisma: 10 {max} suddenly, his muscles tightened as a surge of strength washed over him like a tsunami. with the buff from his active skill, his strength doubled, catching the beast off guard with surprise. as the beast realized the human was pushing it back, leaving it stumped, alexander thrust the large flying creature upward, causing it to tumble in mid-air. with the ferocity of a wild beast, he exerted tremendous force in his legs, creating cracking sounds. his eyes turned a fiery red, that even pain is becoming a mere afterthought, and his bloodlust was so intense that any ordinary person would faint on the spot. with a leaped he flew like a cannonball the ravenwing threw out his tail that covered with scales to defend, but this time the beast was petrified. alexander sword in his hand, was burning with red flame. the sword, seemingly imbued with sheer bloodlust, swung heavily and collided with the beast''s tail. it pierced through the armored scales, bypassing its defenses to reach the flesh within. blood spurted from the severed tail as it fell to the ground, and the beast''s black eyes turned into an abyss. as it opened its jaws, a potent energy began to condense, brimming with destructive force. undeterred, alexander stood his ground, with the sword raised high. as the massive ball of energy was released, alexander cleaved through it as if wielding a heavy axe. the sword and the energy orb clashed, sending sparks flying. the resulting sound resembled the shattering of glass. s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. despite being above ground, the impact created a vast crater, and the shockwave was so powerful that the surrounding trees were forced to succumb. the villagers, even at a distance, were buffeted by the intense wind currents, akin to confronting a storm head-on. alexander growled, his voice loud and tense as he tightened his grip on the blade. the ball of black energy, which had begun to push back, was suddenly flung into the sky with a forceful thrust. where it exploded like a bomb, alexander''s gaze was fixed on the beast. as he confronted it, the beast tried to defend itself with its claws, but to no avail. his blade sliced through, and he thrust it into the flying beast''s chest, bringing it crashing to the ground. your next read awaits at empire the earth shook violently, and dust filled the air, slowly settling to reveal the scene. there stood alexander, atop the fallen beast, covered in blood, his eyes as cold as ever. [you killed a level 49 ravenwing. you''ve gained 100,000 exp] [you have level up] [you have level up] [you have level up] [you have level up] the beast was then recorded in the ''3,378th archive''. alexander''s eyes were dull, as if he was on the verge of passing out at any moment. [bloodlust deactivated] [berserker instinct deactivated] notifications from the system appeared as the massive buffs within him began to wane. his eyes slowly reverted to their original hue as he knelt on one leg, his hand gripping the sword hilt that was impaled through the beast chest. "is it over?" he muttered in a low voice as his consciousness clearly began to disappear. he collapsed, lying atop the beast''s body. this time, he had sustained numerous critical injuries, his legs was clearly broken to pieces, and his arms were numb and even some of it had some fractures even his stamina was fully depleted, leaving him utterly vulnerable. observing his battered state, as if he had been mauled, all the villagers rushed to his aid. aeloria, anxious at the sight of him looking as though he was on the brink of death, hurried over. the villagers lifted him carefully, easing him down to the ground. witnessing his current state, aeloria was overcome with tears as she embraced him. anya wept too, fearing that her big brother was gone. one of the male villagers checked his pulse and sighed in relief, "aeloria, stop crying he''s fine. he was just unconscious from exhausting himself during the battle. let him rest for a while, and he will wake up in no time," the villager said as he tried to comfort the two. although everyone was worried about him, since he had literally saved them all from doom, their attention was soon drawn elsewhere. as they gathered, the gem on the stone rock glowed ominously, making sounds of clear delight as it absorbed the soul of the ravenwing. the blood that spurted throughout the area was absorbed as it seeped into the ground, providing nourishment. just a reminder it was named blood gem, as its primary function is to absorb blood, with the soul being a secondary requirement. suddenly, a bright light appeared, drawing everyone''s gaze in that direction. they witnessed a man clad in black clothing seize the radiant gem. "ha-ha-ha! kid, i owe you my thanks. if not for you, this beast would have claimed this gem. though it almost ruined my plan, thanks to your actions, the course of the plan is not ruined" he bellowed with all his might. even from a distance, in the silence of the night, his voice could be heard clearly, making the villagers wary of the newcomer. suddenly, a large shadow loomed behind him, it is a massive serpent that sent shivers down their spines. "eat this," he said, tossing it into the air. as the serpent consumed the offering, it relished the taste and felt its strength surge like never before. Chapter 69 the scales that is white as a jewel changed to a large, red, serpentine creature with a fierce expression. its body is covered in a thick, shaggy fur, and its long, sharp claws are visible.the serpent head is raised high, with its mouth open in a menacing snarl, revealing rows of sharp teeth. its tongue is forked and flicks out from its mouth. the serpent eyes are bright and alert, giving it an intensely predatory appearance. the most distinctive feature of this snake is its skeletal-like, segmented body. it almost seems like its body is made of interlocking plates, giving it a mechanical, almost robotic look the most eye catching one is a gem that is red as blood was a top of it forehead. feeling the strong power the man was very happy, finally it turns into a spirit beast. he was very excited, as his eyes turned cold with a smile glinting at his face. "since you''ve helped me big this time, i will kill you painlessly while the villagers will serve as a nourishment for my beast," he muttered with a wide smile on his face. hearing his voice, all of them were petrified, looking at the man that is walking towards them with the huge red snake besides him. they were all scared. since the pressure it gives was nothing different than the ravenwing. "so, are you going to hand him over to me or not?" he asked with a smile, gesturing for the villager to do so. witnessing this, aeloria became very anxious and hugged him tightly. unbeknownst to them, alexander''s injuries were gradually healing, yet his consciousness remained absent. due to leveling up, his broken bones, damaged flesh, and every scratch were slowly mending. the villagers were gripped by fear, yet they couldn''t bear to surrender him to certain death. in that moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward. "if you want to take him, you''ll have to go through me first," he proclaimed, his tone imbued with unwavering resolve. the man was full of disdain seeing this. he smiled coldly with a playful expression on his face. "very well then," he replied. suddenly, a whistle came flying through the air. the man who was protecting alex kneeled on the ground as it felt that his knees were pierced by something. the pain was so excruciating as the man growled in pain. "can you say that again?" he said coldly, his face was already in full display, that made it even more frightening. the man gasped for air as he looked at him with a disgustful face, "you can kill me, but you will never take him alive," he said with a determined smile. "ohh," he replied, as he motioned his fingers. then the serpent hissed, swiftly slithering towards the man and opening its vast jaws. the man had no time to react before it swallowed him up to his waist. his screams were heard as the upper half of his body disappeared inside the creature. the onlookers retreated slightly, witnessing the horrifying spectacle before them. "see this piece of shit over here, if you want to defy my orders then you will become like him!" he pointed at the remaining half of its body. upon witnessing such a scene, the villagers were understandably terrified, deeply shaken by the death of one of their own. they were at a loss for what to do, especially in the presence of the man before them, a warrior accompanied by an enormous snake. they were just a normal person with ordinary strength, how could they possibly retaliate? suddenly, one of the villagers, a man, walked up. "boss, actually you can go ahead and do whatever you want with him. but can you at least let me live? sparing one person will not matter right?" the man begged. it is the same man who proposed to escape when the ravenwing attacked. as his words spread, the villagers'' anger flared one after another. "scott, you piece of garbage, will you really abandon our savior just to prolong your pathetic existence?" a man rebuked, grabbing scott by the collar and hoisting him up. "it''s not my fault he offered to help. he should have accepted the outcome if he failed. now, because of him, we''re all at risk of becoming nourishment for that beast," the man replied scornfully. hearing his unreasonable words, the man grew even angrier and punched him in the face, causing him to stumble to the ground. "you''re a complete moron, aren''t you scott? can''t you see he''s the one who orchestrated this whole mess? haven''t you got a single brain cell to rub together? why do you think he showed up right when alex, our hero, was out unconscious?" he snarled, his eyes blazing red as he glared down at the other man. "you''re so dense, scott, you can''t even see what''s right in front of you?" a villager spat out, their voice dripping with disgust as they glared at the man who seemed to enjoy the spectacle. the man watching a riot before him would be more entertaining, far better than witnessing their terrified faces. scott, the man deemed unreasonable, heard this and remained indifferent. how could he enjoy life if he didn''t take risks? "dying a good person won''t help him at all. what''s the point of being good if he''s dead?" scott''s voice out inside his mind. "does it look like i care? repay kindness if you wish to do so, but i want to live. don''t tell me you all don''t want the same," scott declared, his voice laden with aggression, feeling that no one was on his side. "scott!" a woman''s voice cut through the simmering anger of the villagers, her voice was calm, and steady. "we all want to live, but we don''t want to live filled with guilt. we''re not like you, who repays gratitude with ingratitude. a person with the same mindset as you is better off dead than living." aeloria''s words were icy blade, as her voice laced with a cold fury. she knew what he was going to do, and how he was planning to use alex as a bargaining chip, and she wouldn''t stand for it. "aeloria was right, scott," the man who''d punched him said, his voice was thick with grief, "we''ll never give him up. if it weren''t for this man, our families, our friends, our entire village might have already died. we are living in harmony. but because of this human that is no different than a beast, our happy life is gone. do you think living without my wife, ravaged by the beast attack, will give me any will to live?" he bellowed looking at the man clad in black suite, filled with anger. a young man in his twenties, also spoked up with a mix of anger and despair, "uncle nendo was right. i also lost my grandmother, the only reason i had to keep going. now that i know who did this, dying wouldn''t be so bad... as long as i get my revenge. even if i''m weak, it''s better than dying a coward." "yeah, let''s get our revenge!" nendo roared, his voice echoing through the square, a rallying cry that resonated with the villagers. "this man is no different from the beast!" nendo continued. "let''s kill him and avenge our families who were slaughtered for his amusement!" the villagers roared back, their voices were filled with anger, while their morals are soaring. "you guys, if i''m stupid, all of you are ignorant!" scott said bitterly, as he retorted looking at them like a fool. "are you all blind? your way of thinking is even worse than mine!" he continued. "at least we''re not cowards, unlike a certain someone," nendo said, his face twisted with pure disdain. suddenly, a hearty laugh filled the area, causing them to look towards the source. it was none other than the man dressed in black. "hahaha, you people are really no different than some brainless worm. avenge? avenge! are you kidding me? what are you going to do, hit me till my face becomes swollen? hahaha, you all are making me laugh," the man said with tears of joy sliding down his cheeks. hearing his wild laughter, no one disturbed him. it continued for some time as he stopped and looked at them coldly, especially aeloria. "you know little lady, i have been eyeing you for a long time. you will be a good furnace for me, to let out my frustrations. even if you are back in the empire, your charm is comparable to those girls from noble background" he said looking at her body lustfully. he really wanted to ravage her a long time ago, but he was stopped by his brother and told him he can do whatever he wants after the mission was complete. now that his brother is dead and he was the only one remaining, he decided to make his own family using this woman in front of her. he was sexually frustrated by how charming this girl in front of her is. seeing his intense gaze, aeloria stepped back, going towards alexander''s side. who seems to still be unconscious, as she looked at the man in front of her in a fright. the villagers were angry at this. nendo, whose face contorted in anger, clenched his fist. he will not let anything happen to aeloria, especially when he heard the word "furnace!" if she was caught, her fate would be pure despair, and will suffer the same fate as anya''s mother. so, no matter what, he will stop the man in front of him. "hey you, do you want to live right? hurry up and bring that girl to me, then i''ll spare your life," the man instructed. scott, upon hearing this, felt a surge of happiness glimpsing at the final opportunity for survival. "yes, boss, allow this servant to fulfill your wishes," he said, rising from the ground and giving aeloria a sinister smile. "scott, if you want to catch aeloria, you have to pass me first," nendo spoke, looking at him coldly. scott snorted and quickly dashed toward his opponent. in haste, he threw a punch, but nendo countered with a hand block. following up, nendo delivered a clean strike with his other hand, landing a hit on scott''s face. his face was struck with such force that his teeth were knocked out, a testament to nendo''s strength as a hunter. scott tumbled backward, rolling on the ground, his face was ashen. sear?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. discover exclusive content at empire "useless," the man clad in a black suit said, while spitting on scott''s face who was lying on the ground in front of him. the man then shook his hand and a thin needle appeared. he then threw it slightly as it whistled through the air. seeing his sudden movement, nendo had no time to dodge or defend from the attack, since it was aimed at the centerline of his two eyes. suddenly, a small pebble also flew out, deflecting the flying needle. it created a small spark from the collision, then a voice behind all of them was heard. "do you think i''ll simply stand by and watch?" the young man said coldly, his lips curving into a playful smile. Chapter 70 looking back, the villagers were stunned by the familiar voice. looking at the person, they were very happy to see who it was.aeloria just shifted her head and saw who it was. anya, seeing that alexander was awake, hugged him on his legs since she was not tall enough. "big brother alex, you''re fine," she said, looking up with a bright smile. "hahaha, of course i''m fine. do you really think i would be defeated by a flying beast?" he replied coolly. aeloria also hugged him from the other side, with tears sliding down her cheeks, "i thought you were going to die," she sobbed, filled with heart-wrenching pain. alexander felt warm for the moment and just patted her back to comfort her, "losing is not in my vocabulary," he muttered in a heavy tone. actually, he would have lost if the ravenwing had not summoned those small flying creatures to plague him to death. because of that, his strength increased so much because of the infernal fury unique passive, making him powerful enough to confront it head-on. he would have been defeated from the start if the ravenwing had simply struck him with its tail. however, due to its arrogance and toying with him, he emerged victorious from the battle. the man clad in a black suit saw that the kid was now fully awakened. he was greatly surprised, but sneered, not afraid at all. with the serpent fully absorbing the blood gem, he had nothing to worry about. since his pet had finally turned into a spirit beast. "you''re actually pretending to be unconscious. let me help in putting you into sleep for a lifetime," he said with a cruel smile. "ohh! is the beating that i have given you a few days ago, is still not good enough for you to act tough in front of me?" he said with a playful tone. he didn''t deny his statement about pretending to be unconscious. thanks to leveling up, his injuries were 80% healed. he had just regained consciousness when nendo punched scott in the face, prompting him to stay under the radar for a bit longer to observe if there were any other ungrateful villagers. from his observation for a while, all of them except the guy named scott wants to protect him. stay connected through empire so when the man in a black suit threw a needle towards the man named nendo, he hurriedly took action to avoid deaths since some villagers'' lives were already lost. alexander then looked from side to side and did not find his accomplice, "where is your companion? don''t tell me you are planning for some sneak attack," he asked while raising an eyebrow. "sneak attack? haha, kid, you''re making me laugh. you''re not worth the effort of such a despicable act. a few days ago, i might have considered it, but not anymore," he stated. while sneak attacks are an assassin''s greatest weapon, they are not truly despicable since the results are what matter, not the actions. "if you''re looking for my brother, he won''t be attending this event anymore, because he''s dead," he said with a cruel smile, followed by a hearty laugh. seeing the expression on his face mentioning his other accomplice, which seems to be his brother, alexander already connected the dots that he killed his one and only brother. he had no idea, but he was happy since less enemy meant less trouble. it''s a win for him. "if you really think that this snake can kill me, then you are wrong," he said, pointing at the snake. he can feel the power of the serpent in front of him. the power it''s radiating seems to be greater than the ravenwing he had defeated. when he killed the beast which was called ravenwing, it was actually level 49, clearly not a spirit beast yet. but now the snake in front of him must be level 50, which had already become a spirit beast that has the mind of a normal person. but he was confident after leveling up, his strength soared to new heights. [status experience: 13,000/25,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 14 title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 24 strength: 117 speed: 72 agility: 71 dexterity: 56 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 76 charisma: 10 {max} earnings: 102,005 pesos balance: 4,227,168 pesos skills: {heart of stone[un], {berserker instinct} techniques: {serpents coil}, {vital draw technique} weapons: {infernal fury}] "aeloria, go and take care of anya for me okay. stay away from this place as far as possible," he said to her as he slowly let go from her embrace. aeloria could only look at him with great sadness in her face. she was really a burden and could only watch without any way to help at all. hearing his instruction, she took anya''s hands, holding them tightly. "leave anya to me since i''m her big sister. nothing will happen to her," she muttered. alexander just smiled at this as he looked at the man named nendo who was looking at him. he approached slowly, resting his hands on the other''s shoulders, "i entrust the safety of the villagers to you," he said, assigning him the mission. nendo nodded resolutely, "are you able to take on both of them? if not, i''m prepared to sacrifice myself to give you time," he offered, showing no fear of death. alexander was stunned and astonished by the man''s high resolve, he seemed willing to die just to provide him with a chance to escape. "don''t worry, i can handle this problem. leave the rest to me," he said, growing increasingly fond of the man, who appeared to be the junior in their interaction, while he took on the senior role. alexander then motioned him to retreat with the villagers while he stayed behind, since the battle is going to be much more devastating from here on out. nendo nodded as he evacuated all of the villagers. aeloria also followed the order with anya beside her. "kid, do you think i''ll let you do that? little snake, go and make a rampage," he ordered, aloud. as if being removed by the shackles, the red serpent was excited to test its power and also to eat the humans in front of him that will be served as his nourishment, for his new power. s~ea??h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the speed was fast that it propelled the gust of air in its wake. alexander acted swiftly, intervening before it could reach the elders. he halted its advance by deflecting it with a kick next to his body. the collision between his foot and the snake''s hardened scales emitted a loud, metallic clang as the large serpent tumbled away. as alexander stood motionless, sweat streaming down his face, he thought to himself in sheer agony, "damn, my feet feel like they''ve slammed into a wall of tungsten," but he kept a straight face. while the villagers looked on, realizing they were out of danger, they hurriedly continued their journey. the man was not idle either, he released three to four needles with some purple liquid on the tip of it. clearly, it was equipped with poison, aiming for the villagers. alexander just snickered at this and just picked up some rocks on the ground. shew it soared like a bullet, yet three times swifter, intercepting the attack. realizing his assault had been thwarted, he quickly advanced towards alexander for a direct confrontation, his newfound strength from leveling up fueling his confidence that he and the youngster were closely matched. the serpent also got up from the ground without any injury at all. it didn''t look at alexander as it rushed towards the escaping villagers. alexander, who was about to move, was stopped by the man, making him sneer. seeing his expression, he was angered as he took out the dagger and tried to thrust it and stab him in the chest. he raised his leg and unleashed a kick that made the wind howl furiously. it struck with such speed that the man''s chest was hit with devastating force, causing him to feel as though his bones were shattered and to vomit blood while staring at alexander in disbelief. "how come you''re still so powerful? even though my strength has soared to the next level, why is the gap so vast?" he lamented, collapsing to the ground with a pale face as he gazed up at alexander. the disparity was so immense that he felt like an insect in comparison. alexander, manifesting a sword in his right hand, remained silent. his expression turned grave as he activated his skill. [berserker instinct] [berserker instinct: power increased by 10%.] then he disappeared in plain sight as he appeared behind the red serpent who was in close proximity to the villagers, who were looking at the impending doom that was about to befall upon them. alexander attempted to stab the creature in the back, but its scales were too tough, inflicting only minor damage akin to the annoyance of a needle prick. the beast halted and fixed an angry glare on alexander. "you ungrateful serpent, your master is already grievously wounded, and yet you seek to devour those wretches for pleasure. make haste, and exact my revenge," the man exclaimed, his eyes aflame with rage and the veins on his forehead standing out starkly. the serpent was taken aback, giving him a bewildered look. "wasn''t this your idea to begin with? why the sudden blame game?" it thought to itself. despite its inner protest, it remained silent, after all, its life dangled on the whims of that very person. so, he could only channel his anger towards alexander. filled with fury and madness, he charged at him violently. alexander prepared himself, aware that the true battle was about to begin. Chapter 71 as alexander prepared himself, he had only moments to react as it lunged toward him, its mouth wide open, revealing rows of fangs dripping with a viscous, purple venom.alexander dodged to the side just as the creature''s jaws snapped shut, its teeth sinking into the earth with enough force to leave deep furrows. "that strong?" he muttered, looking at the ground. he steadied his breath, realizing that this battle would be unlike any he had faced before. the beast''s power had surged, making it a formidable opponent for him. he understood that luck was fleeting, and he needed to rely on his wits, even though he wasn''t considered smart. with a determined look, he resolved to tap into his full potential to ensure his victory. as he tried to anticipate the serpent''s next move, a faint shimmer appeared around the blood-red gem on its forehead. the serpent''s gaze burned with fury, and before alexander had time to react, it opened its jaws and unleashed a stream of venom. the sinister fluid arced through the air, sizzling as it splashed onto the ground, eating away at everything it touched. alexander leaped back, narrowly avoiding the acidic spray. the venom sizzled as it devoured the earth beneath it, leaving blackened craters in its wake. "so, it can use poison," alexander muttered. [what do you think? isn''t it called a serpent in the first place?] the system spoke, but he did not hear its sarcasm, as it would be dangerous if he did not focus on his opponent. he needed to attack, but the serpent was faster, more agile, and frighteningly resilient. its scales is even tougher than metal, it seems comparable to the ravenwing. the serpent coiled back, its eyes narrowing as it assessed alexander. with a sudden, serpentine flick, it whipped its tail toward him. alexander uses the blade of the sword up in a defensive stance, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his feet digging trenches into the ground. his chest burned, and he could feel the bruises forming where the tail had struck. but it did not stop their, it continued to attack him. alexander dodged left and right, slipping past the serpent''s strikes with fluid, movements of his own. he closed the distance and brought his blade down against its scales, aiming for the weak points he thought he''d observed. but each strike felt like hitting stones his blade skittered off its reinforced, segmented scales, leaving only shallow scratches. "hahaha, young man, it''s futile. my pet over there has already overcome its bottleneck; it has already transformed into a spirit beast. you''ll need to do more than that if you wish to win," he taunted, as he erupted in a wild laughter. the serpent snarled in reply, its patience thinning. the gem on its forehead gleamed once more, and suddenly, the serpent''s body seemed to blur. it split into multiple shadowy forms, each slithering in a different direction. alexander''s eyes widened as he found himself surrounded by its duplicates, each one seeming as real as the original. a glint of venom dripped from their fangs, and he realized he was running out of time. "not bad," alexander grunted, forcing a grin despite his predicament. "but i''m not finished yet." he took a deep breath, centering himself, and activated his skill even more. [berserker instinct: power increased by 20%.] his muscles surged with energy, and his senses sharpened as his power increased by twenty percent. with the increased in power, he aimed at the nearest duplicate, slashing through it with a swift, precise cut. it vanished in a puff of dark mist. another swung its tail at him, and he countered with a forceful kick, dispersing it into nothingness. but for each shadow he struck down, two more seemed to take its place. continue reading on empire the serpent watched him from a distance, clearly savoring his struggle. its forked tongue flicked out in mocking disdain. in a split-second decision, alexander lunged at the original, aiming for the blood gem. his sword connected¡ªbut only for a moment. the serpent reared back, absorbing the blow with its thick scales. angered, it unleashed a powerful blast of venom, aiming directly at alexander. caught off guard, he dodged but couldn''t evade it entirely, the venom splattered across his left arm, searing his skin with a white-hot agony. gritting his teeth, alexander forced himself to ignore the pain, his focus locked on the serpent. he couldn''t let it win. not here, not now. [berserker instinct: power increased by 30%.] the serpent lunged, with its fangs bared. in a final, desperate maneuver, alexander ducked and twisted, grappling onto the serpent''s massive body. he coiled himself around it, to gain control. the beast thrashed wildly, but alexander held firmly, tightening his grip until he could feel the resistance in its muscles. seeing his opportunity, he summoned his remaining strength and raised his sword, plunging it into a gap between the serpent''s scales near its neck. sear?h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. but before he could act, the snake began to thrash wildly. his grip gradually weakened until, with a groan of pain, he was catapulted into the sky. "i''m so close," he muttered, sliding across the ground on his back as he landed. he slowly stands up but the injury in his arms caused by the venom is so excruciatingly painful. "young man, you will not last long anymore. struggling is useless" the man clad in black suite laugh, as he stood up in the ground watching the show in amusement. "if you have the ability to fight me, why don''t you try" he taunted, towards the black man. the man sneered, looking at him like a fool, "i''m not that naive. you''re quite young, yet you''ve achieved so much. give it a few more years, and you might become someone capable of overpowering any sect or organization." he pursed his lips, his eyes glinting with a murderous aura. "too bad you''ve encountered me. hey, you little pest, hurry up and do your job. stop dozing off," he commanded. the serpent was a little angry being called like that, but it had no choice since his life was also in the line. alexander braced himself yet again, sensing the aura emanating from the creature was far stronger than before. with another quick movement, the serpent lunged forward, with jaws open wide, emitting a low hiss. its mouth exuded a noxious purple mist, a telltale sign of venom far more potent than its previous abilities. alexander narrowly dodged, feeling the edges of the mist as it scorched the ground where he had just been standing. he could see the poisonous residue eating through the dirt, leaving a blackened patch in its wake. "don''t tell me this is its full strength?" alexander murmured, eyeing the enhanced poison. it was so potent and toxic that even the earth began to disintegrate. gathering his strength, alexander swung his sword in a wide arc, targeting the serpent''s vulnerable neck. but his momentum was a bit weak since his arms was damaged, thanks to his skill [berserker instinct] the pain was relieved a little. but his speed was slowed down, even though he can handle the pain his body can''t handle the damages. the blade struck, but instead of the expected deep wound, it barely grazed the creature''s scales, leaving only a faint scratch. alexander''s brows knitted in frustration. "hahaha, kid this is over. you can see that you are nearing your end. surrender and i might consider in sparing your life" the man said aloud filled with laughter. the serpent didn''t give him time to regroup. its massive tail whipped around with frightening speed, striking alexander squarely in the side. he flew back, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud. pain radiated through his ribs as he staggered to his feet, quickly regaining his footing. he looked at his skill and saw that [bloodlust] is still in cooldown. [bloodlust: cooldown 1hour/ 9 minutes remaining] if this beast could summon small creatures to strengthen to play with me. that would put me to advantage, but it appears this is not an ability of the large serpent. with a low growl, the serpent pressed forward, slithering across the ground with surprising speed for a creature of its size. it lashed out with its claws, and alexander was forced to deflect each swipe with his blade, each parry jarring his arms and forcing him back step by step. the serpent was relentless, its mouth snapping and claws slashing in a vicious flurry. the combined assault left alexander with barely enough time to breathe, let alone counterattack. with no choice but to rely on pure grit, alexander gripped his sword tightly, his body aching with every step. the serpent''s strikes grew more relentless, forcing him to parry and dodge. he could feel himself reaching his breaking point. the distant cries of villagers caught his attention. he glanced back, catching sight of the last of them disappearing into the forest, as he peeks through the trees. they had escaped. relief flickered in his chest, but it was quickly overshadowed by the serpent''s onslaught. the serpent coiled, its muscles tensing as it prepared one final, deadly strike. alexander braced himself, struggling to keep his stance firm despite the exhaustion clawing at him. "are you ready to die, boy?" the man taunted, his voice dripping with malice. with a final, defiant glare, alexander raised his sword, prepared to give everything he had left. as the serpent lunged, he met it head-on, his blade clashing with its fangs, his roar echoing through the battlefield as they collided in a final, desperate struggle. Chapter 72 as the forces clashed, alexander, clearly outmatched in strength, as he spat blood midair as he was hurled backward, crashing into the ground with a loud thud that created a small crater upon impact."heh, i''m really no match for it," alexander said with a smile, his last bit of strength already seeping away. "i should really try to work hard more, rather than relying on my system for skills and powerups," he mumbled inwardly, feeling hopeless in this situation. [it''s not entirely hopeless host, if you target the red gem on its forehead, you might prevail, although the odds of winning are very slim.] the system''s voice reached him, and upon hearing it, his eyes, once dull and devoid of hope, became resolute. if he were to surrender now, would it not mean that facing any stronger opponent in the future, he would simply yield in defeat? that was not what he desires, he had to fight. then his willpower to fight returned igniting his heart to continue on, he knows that if he died right now this beast and the man will chase the villagers. as alexander lay in the shallow crater, bruised and bloodied, his vision swam with each agonizing heartbeat. despite his pain, a spark of determination blazed within him. he wouldn''t let this monster slaughter the villagers. he couldn''t give in now. "system," he muttered through gritted teeth, "put all my free points into speed." in an instant, he felt his muscles tighten and his body grow lighter, the familiar sensation of newfound power coursing through him. his speed surged, making him feel almost weightless in comparison to his earlier state. [status updated: speed: 86] the reason he choses speed rather than strength, if he can''t land a critical hit then strength would be more useless if he can''t fight it head on. the serpent, sensing his willpower to fight, let out a hiss that reverberated through the air, its crimson gem glowing with a menacing light. it wasn''t going to make this easy for him. alexander stood, drawing on every ounce of his willpower as he held his sword, infernal fury, firmly in hand. sea??h th§× novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the blade trembled as he steadied his grip, his knuckles turned white with the effort. with a furious lunge, the serpent lashed its tail at him, each strike a blur of speed and ferocity. alexander dodged midway, with his enhaned speed allowing him to evade its attacks with narrow margins. explore more stories at empire still, he wasn''t fast enough to land a hit on its forehead, the serpent was relentlessly guarding its vulnerable spot. but he was patient. he darted to the side, narrowly escaping a tail swipe, then slashed toward its flank. the serpent twisted, meeting him with a ferocious bite that forced him back. alexander grunted, his heart racing as he assessed the situation. "i need to weaken it, even if its only a little. if i want to get a good shot at the red gem on its forehead." he uttered, in a heavy breathed. he launched himself forward, zigzagging unpredictably, his blade flashing in a deadly arc. he aimed for the creature''s neck, and as he made contact, sparks flew, but the scales absorbed most of the impact. the serpent retaliated immediately, swiping him with its claws. alexander was barely able to block the hit, stumbling back from the force. "damn, did i choose wrongly in putting my free points?" he muttered, his grip tightening. the serpent lunged forward, its gaping mouth dripping with venom. alexander rolled beneath it, narrowly avoiding the venom as it splattered behind him, hissing upon contact with the ground. but he wasn''t done yet. as the serpent twisted, alexander saw his chance, its head was momentarily lowered, exposing the faint, pulsing glow of the blood gem. this was his opening. "bloodlust" he shouted, activating his skill, now that it''s finally cooldown. [bloodlust: as the wielder''s desire for battle intensifies, bloodlust heightens the host''s senses and reflexes, increasing strength and speed by 60%. prolonged use diminishes clarity and control, potentially leading to a berserk state.] a surge of raw power tore through him, his muscles rippling as his speed and strength soared. his vision sharpened to a razor''s edge, and his breathing became shallow and rapid as the thrill of battle overtook him. he could feel himself staggering on the brink, but he pushed it aside. this was his only shot. with the increased in power, he moved in a blur, closing the distance between himself and the serpent before it had time to react. he lunged, aiming straight for the blood-red gem. the serpent reared back, but he was faster, slicing his sword across the gem''s surface. the impact sent a shockwave through his arms, and he saw a hairline crack form in the gem. the serpent screeched in agony, thrashing violently, its body twisting in pain. but its rage only grew. with renewed fury, it lashed out, its movements now even more aggressive. it whipped its tail toward him, but alexander, now boosted by [bloodlust], dodged it easily, landing a clean hit along its neck. for a moment, he felt invincible, his senses so heightened that he could see every move, anticipate every attack. but as [bloodlust] took hold, he felt his control slipping. he had to finish this quickly or risk losing himself to the berserk state. after all, the berserker''s instinct had reached its maximum, and he had used his two skills continuously. even with the aid of his skill, [heart of stone], it proved to be useless right now. he forced himself to focus, locking onto the gem. his vision narrowed, the serpent''s furious thrashing fading into the background as his target filled his mind. he darted forward, deflecting another strike from its tail and slashing toward its head. his blade met with resistance as he struck the gem again, chipping away at its surface. the serpent roared, and with a speed that matched his own, it lunged, its jaws wide open. alexander was almost caught off guard, his mind clouded by the effects of bloodlust, but he managed to twist out of the way at the last second. he retaliated with a brutal downward slash, driving his blade into the gem one final time with all his might. the gem shattered with a resounding crack, pieces of it scattering like shards of glass. the serpent let out an ear-splitting scream, its body convulsing as it writhed in agony. a dark mist poured from the fractured gem, and its crimson glow faded into a dull, lifeless gray. the beast staggered back, weakened and disoriented, its strength sapped by the destruction of its power source. alexander stumbled, from the effects of two skills leaving him drained, his body is heavy and aching. since he was already severely injured in the first place, engaging in combat with another beast of the same caliber as the ravenwing he had defeated would be courting death. if there been no weakness at all, the beastly snake would have triumphed, leaving no opportunity for victory. fortunately, it appears to have gained strength from external factors, and upon its destruction, victory was secured. his vision swam as he fought to stay upright, but he knew he couldn''t falter. this was his moment to end it. gathering his remaining strength, he raised his sword and charged at the serpent one last time. with a powerful swing, he drove his blade deep into the beast''s skull, piercing through the broken gem and ending its torment. the serpent''s body fell limp, collapsing to the ground with a thud that echoed through the forest. it was still breathing, so alexander chose not to pursue it, knowing that it was nearing its end. alexander stood over it, panting, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. blood dripped from his wounds, his clothes torn and battered, but he had done it. the villagers were safe from now on. as he looked around, he saw the villagers did not actually ran but stay behind into the dense trees, their faces peering back with a mix of awe and gratitude. he could see aeloria''s relieved smile and anya''s joyful face looking at him; even though his vision was blurry, he could perceive them clearly for reasons unknown to him. even nendo, the man, was brimming with smiles upon seeing his grin. alexander gave them a nod, with a smile in his own. he doesn''t want to show his vulnerability towards them. he had fought and won, but at a cost that left him weary beyond words. hissed he collapsed to one knee, his sword slipping from his grasp. the battle had been grueling, and as the adrenaline faded, the full weight of his injuries sank in. but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. he had survived, and so had they. [bloodlust deactivated] [berserker instinct deactivated] somewhere nearby, the man in black seethed, watching his prized beast fall. but he knew this wasn''t the end. aeloria, witnessing her victory, was overjoyed as she emerged from the forest and ran towards him. anya and the rest of the villagers also ran to join in the celebration. "alex, you did it!" aeloria exclaimed, tears streaming down her smiling face. "big brother alex is cool," anya said, jumping and running towards him. the villagers were also very happy as they ran towards the battlefield. alex, hearing their voices, looked at them with a slight smile on his face, with only one eye open. he was so tired from the fight, yet as they ran, their faces were filled with happiness. suddenly, it turned grim. aeloria, witnessing this, looked on, filled with sorrow. "alex, look out!" she shouted, her voice trailing off. alexander, hearing this, was too late to react as a dagger stabbed him in the back. the blade pierced his back, making its tip visible in his chest. his eyes turned dark as he puked a lot of blood. shifting his head, he saw the culprit; it was the man clad in a black suit. "young man, you have ruined my future. that''s my way to become famous throughout the world, now i''ll take your life, in return" he said full of killing intent with his eyes burning in rage. "i almost forgot about you!" alexander said coldly, as his clarity returned and held the man in the neck carrying him up. the speed was so overwhelming that the man was left stunned, unable to move or dodge in any way. the one he was using is his injured arm that was hit by venom. his tone was deadly as he increased his grip. "you asshole, let go!" the man was terrified. he had thought that he had already used up all his energy, but that seems to not be the case at all. the dagger in his hands continuously slashed, stabbed, and swiped in his front body. alexander gazed upon the scene with calmness as blood dripped from his body and mouth. "this is the end," he muttered. with the increased pressure, the man''s face turned violet as he dropped the dagger and lay lifelessly in his hands. [you killed a level 29 human. you''ve gained 10,000 exp.] he let go, and its body fell lifelessly to the ground. alexander''s injury turned even more critical as he was losing lots of blood. not only had he been afflicted with the same poison as the brother of the man he had slain. but he was also struck by the venom of a snake that was now mingling within his bloodstream. he fell to the ground heavily as he passed out. Chapter 73 as alexander collapsed, the villagers quickly surrounded him where he lay on the ground.aeloria grasped his hands, staring at the gruesome scene, uncertain whether he was still alive. "alex! please wake up, don''t die," she pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. her voice trembled, but she refrained from hugging him, fearing she might worsen his injuries, as she saw the cut flesh and the copious blood gushing out. alexander''s face grew increasingly pale at this sight, his breathing becoming shallower with each passing moment. "big brother alex, don''t die, big brother," anya exclaimed, looking at alexander who was slowly dying. having lost both her mother and father, the thought of losing another loved one was unbearable for her. "aeloria, this..." nendo sighed, feeling his pulse weakening by the second. the villagers, seeing this scene, were filled with sadness. they knew that their young hero was in death''s hands right now. his injuries were greatly impossible for a person to stay alive at this pace. their chins trembled as they tried to hold back their emotions. suddenly, the system popped up a notification while he was out. [congratulations to the host for acquiring the new skill, ''toxin nullifier.''] [the human body has developed mechanisms to halt the spread of toxins that have entered the bloodstream and are on their way to vital organs such as the heart and brain. these include the liver and kidneys, which evolved in order to filter and expel harmful substances.] [skill: toxin nullifier: this skill will grant the user complete immunity to all forms of toxins and poisons. by enhancing the body''s natural defenses, the user can effectively neutralize any harmful substances before they cause damage to the body. whether faced with venomous bites, toxic plants, or poisonous substances, the user remains entirely unaffected. this skill also boosts the user''s natural recovery process by 10% for 1 minute, allowing them to heal quickly from any previous exposure to toxins.] suddenly, the poison coursing through his bloodstream halted, as if cleansed from within. due to the skill''s unique passive, his recovery rate has increased by 10 percent, which is highly beneficial in his current state. [you killed a level 49 bloodscale serpent. you''ve gained 150,000 exp] [you have level up] [you have level up] [you have level up] [you have level up] ... the system sounded in his ears, which he did not hear of course. with the level up, his wounds were healed much faster, increasing the recovery process. it patched his wound slowly, and his hands were returning back slow and steady, while the broken bone in his ribs slowly began to heal. "the young warrior is living!" exclaimed one of the villagers, looking at alexander''s face starting to become more lively. upon hearing this, aeloria quickly glanced at alexander and noticed his face looked alright. observing his wounds that appeared to be healing, she couldn''t help but burst into tears of joy. "big sister, big brother is alive," anya said, holding back her tears as her nose ran. "uncle nendo, can you check alex if he was really, okay?" aeloria said in a haste. nendo, who was looking at this filled with astonishment, and was woken up from his daze. he nodded and hurriedly checked his pulse and yes, he could feel his pulse pumping with vitality. "he''s fine now. he will not die," he said with a relieved smile on his face. hearing this, the villagers cheered in excitement as they looked at alexander their great hero was actually still alive. "let''s take him back and put him in the bed to rest. he still needs time to recover," nendo spoke. all of them nodded their heads from this advice. he then carried alexander in his arms as they began to walk back towards the village. some men were left behind and looked at the culprit who caused the destruction for their village. "i can finally avenge my family," the man said, stepping and kicking at the dead man. "you piece of worthless scum. people like you need to disappear from this world," another man added as his feet targeted the face. the skin of the man clad in black suit was tough, clearly because of his cultivation level. when they saw this, their eyes glowed with anger. "isn''t he already dead? he won''t even feel any slight of pain at all," the last man said to the two, not joining in on the fun. "saiki, you will not understand. your mother is still alive and kicking, while our loved ones were gone. even if he''s dead, i''ll make sure his body will be worse than shit," the man said, as he took a rock and smashed it into his head. sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. but it only caused a red bump, "the fuck! does every warrior''s skin are made of iron? fuck this," he said as he threw the rock. there was no damage at all. "brother, here this is the dagger that was used to stab our young savior," the other man said, passing it to him. "ohh," he took it fast as he stabbed the man. when the blade pierced the skin, his eyes turned bloodthirsty as he cut it from pieces to pieces. "sheww," he sighed, as his hands filled with blood, with his clothes fully draped. "now i feel good, let''s hurry up and clean up this place. it looks like it became a deserted forest from their battle" the man said throwing the dagger in his hands. they surveyed the battlefield, which now resembled a vast disaster zone. trees lay scattered, the ground was caving in, riddled with spiderweb-like cracks, and craters pockmarked the landscape from place to place. the small flying creatures were also present everywhere, with their blood in places a collective sigh came out knowing that another round of cleaning is going to commence. "that''s kinda cool though, the way the young warrior fought the ravenwing and then this big serpent," he said as he pointed at the big serpent. "it''s quite astonishing that he''s still alive after fighting two beasts one after the other," said the man, who was the same one who had attempted to stop the pair. hearing what he said, the man who was filled with blood narrowed his eyes angrily. "why are you wishing for our young savior to die!" he bellowed. the man hurriedly shake his hands and replied, "that''s not what i meant, its just that i''m shocked to see how a real battle looks like" he explained darting his eyes around. the two did not say anything but were also awe-stricken. it is clearly out of the scope for an ordinary battle between normal people. "well, this is the life of a warrior. we ordinary people can only admire and aspire to it. as i look up to that young kid, i won''t regret a single thing," said the man with a beautiful smile, tears streaming down his face as he remembered his child, her wife, and his mother. the other man, seeing him cry, the emotion welling up inside him burst out like a strong wave, remembering his aunt, who was his only family left in this world, but sadly, she was ravaged by the beast. the man could look at the two expressions and sighed. he was very lucky that his family was safe, but he didn''t feel happy since the others were sad. "let''s stop this shininigans and clean up this place. crying feels we have become gay all of a sudden," muttered by the man with a laugh. "haha, tell that to saiki over there. he looks gay to me even though he did not cry," the other man said, bursting into laughter. hearing the two, his face darkened all of a sudden and he snorted in reply. "who says i''m gay?" hearing this the two pursed their lips and replied in unison, "then who''s gay?" with a narrowed eye. seeing the two ganging up on him, saiki just rolled his eyes as he decided to go and start the cleaning up. "hmphh, i will not care about you two," he said. although it was already night, they chose to tackle the task immediately instead of postponing it to the next day, in order to reduce the workload. seeing his angry expression, the two smiled and didn''t say anything as they cleaned the place. the rest of the villagers also got back to the three and helped in cleaning up. alexander was then carried to grandma may''s house, as he was placed in the bed by nendo. "aeloria, she''s yours to take care of. you should clean him since it will be too uncomfortable to sleep like that," nendo said with a knowing smile on his face. aeloria, gazing at alexander with concern, heard the teasing and felt her face flush with redness as she shyly glanced aside. "hahahaaha!" nendo broke out in laughter as he left the room. anya was also in there, looking at her big brother alex. "umm, anya, can you go out for the moment? i will have to take care of your big brother alex for a while," she said. her cheeks were red as a tomato. "why should anya leave, big sister?" anya said, narrowing her eyes, not liking her decisions. seeing that she wasn''t very cooperative, aeloria narrowed her eyes and scolded the little child. find more chapters on empire "it''s because i said so, anya. hurry up and go out since this job is only for grown-ups," she said, crossing her arms. anya was angry from this, as she puffed her cheeks cutely. the little gecko who was in her arms was squeezed tightly, looking at her. gecko: what did i do! she then departed, leaving aeloria alone in the room. suddenly, the atmosphere turned hot, prompting her to bring a bucket of water inside, along with a towel soaked in water. Chapter 74 [Warning 18+] as she held the damp towel in her hands, aerloria carefully removed alexander''s torn shirt, her face turning a deep shade of red with embarrassment.her slender fingers trembled as she gently slid the shredded fabric off his shoulders, revealing the cuts and bruises scattered across his skin. to her astonishment, many of his injuries were already beginning to heal. even the stab wounds and deeper cuts seemed to be mending before her eyes. this sight left her momentarily speechless, she had never witnessed such a remarkable healing ability in a human before. yet, knowing he was a warrior, she pushed her amazement aside, focusing on the task at hand. with her hands still shaking slightly, aerloria pressed the cool towel gently against his chest, her fingertips just barely grazing his skin. the warmth radiating from his body only deepened the flush in her cheeks, and she found herself sneaking a closer glance at him. as aerloria continued, her fingertips traced over faint scars and healing wounds across his torso all the way to the other parts, each mark a trophy of the battles he had survived. her heart raced with every touch, feeling the subtle twitch of his muscles beneath her hands, as though his body remained vigilant even in sleep, only now beginning to relax under her careful attention. pausing, she dipped the cloth into the bucket of warm water, wringing it out as her hands trembled ever so slightly. she returned the towel to his shoulder, gently wiping away remnants of dried blood and dirt, following the lines of his collarbone down to his chest. each movement revealed more of his form, stirring her awe, and a hint of intimidation. even in this vulnerable state, his presence was commanding. her cheeks burned as a stray thought crossed her mind. she shook it away, mumbling, "aerloria, focus. this is for alex¡­ don''t think of anything else inappropriate." she said in a mosquito voice. yet, despite her resolve, she couldn''t deny the quickening of her heart or the warmth that spread across her face. her sleeve brushed against his skin, sending a shiver up her arm, and she bit her lip, trying to steady her breathing, surprised by how deeply she felt this quiet, intimate moment. with each stroke of the towel, she was careful to avoid pressing too hard, not wanting to disturb his rest, yet the closeness stirred something unexpected within her. the mere proximity to him felt intense, almost electric. as she worked her way lower, her fingers grazed a particularly nasty bruise along his ribcage, and she winced. "you must have taken quite the hit," she whispered, almost as if confessing her thoughts aloud would ease her embarrassment. but she knew he couldn''t hear her, and in a strange way, that made it easier to pour her concern into every gentle touch. her gaze drifted upward again, studying his face in the dim light. in sleep, he looked almost peaceful, though his brow furrowed slightly. she brushed a stray lock of hair away from his forehead, her hand lingering a moment too long before she pulled it back, her cheeks aflame. continuing her work, she cleaned his arms, moving down each one with the same meticulous care, pausing at each small cut or scrape. every touch, every movement felt both intimate and hot, and she had to remind herself to breathe, to stay focused. yet, she couldn''t ignore the strange fluttering in her chest, the sensation of being so close to someone who had risked so much to protect others. by the time she finished, her face was as red as the morning sun, her pulse still racing. "now it''s time for the bottom part," aeloria said, feeling bashful, her voice as sheepish as it could be. the woman''s slender fingers trembled as she reached for his pants. her eyes darted nervously. as she slid her hand down, she gasped at the sight of alex''s family jewels, her breath catching in her throat. her movements became hesitant as she removed his pants, tossing them onto the bed. alex stood naked before her. "why is it so big?" she whispered, covering her eyes with her arms. but she couldn''t resist peeking as she slid her finger slightly open. she slapped her cheeks, trying to regain her composure. "aeloria, focus," she admonished herself. "stop having such weird thoughts." she finished. yet, when she leaned in, she couldn''t help but flinch. closing her eyes, she ran the wet towel from alexander''s navel down to his hips. aerloria kept her eyes squeezed shut, too embarrassed to look down at alexander as she continued her task. she knew that if she did, she''d be faced with more than she was prepared to see, a thought that made her entire body shiver. a stray, forbidden thought crossed her mind, making her hot, "what would it feel like if it enter inside me?" she subconsciously spoke without any restraints. she forced herself to push the thought away, feeling the heat rise across her cheeks and down her neck. "this isn''t right," she whispered, scolding herself. after pulling back slightly as if to shake off the overwhelming sensations building up inside her. continue your saga on empire "i''m supposed to be helping him, not doing something dirty." she took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was there to clean his wounds, nothing more. but lost in her own nervous thoughts, she didn''t realize her hand had wandered until she felt it rest somewhere unexpected. as she brushed the towel against the towering ''hot rod,'' she wondered what it was, peering sideways with a closed eye. she let go of the towel, holding it firmly in her hands. it was so big and thick, trembling and growing in size under her touch, making her frown. "this is not the wrist or the thigh at all, what is this?" she said in confusion, caressing it up and down. alexander, who was asleep, felt a jolt of electricity and let out a muffled moan. aeloria heard him and opened her eyes. looking at alexander, still asleep, she sighed in disappointment she had really though he was awake. then she looked at her hands and was horrified. "this, this, what did i do!" she exclaimed, as if struck by lightning. she was actually holding it, and worse, she was pulling it up and down, feeling awe-stricken by what she had done. "what a sin, what a sin," she murmured, frozen still for a moment. aeloria let go and stood up, pacing in circles walking back and forth, her hand was on her chin, her gaze fixed on the floor. she was in a daze, clearly not in her right mind, her face nervously flitting around as she circled. she stopped for a moment and saw that it was already standing up, like a sword raised, making her freeze in place. she then glanced towards alex''s troubled face, that showed he was clearly uncomfortable. she knew he must be feeling uncomfortable, knowing that it needed to be relieved. aeloria had been exposed to a lot of grown-up stuff since she caused this, and she felt she had to be the one to end it. "alex, forgive me for this," aeloria said with a resolute face. she walked towards the bed and sat between his legs, gazing down at the bulging rod filled with vitality. her two hands wrapped around it, feeling the touch. her face turned hot from the stimulation, making her go crazy. [yessssss!] the system prompted, watching this scene with popcorn that was made of hologram. after that, aeloria did her best, even though she was clumsy. after a while, she achieved her goal, making it calm down. but in return, the white liquid sprayed her face. smelling the weird scent and feeling the sticky situation on her face, and some droplets of it on her thighs, she calmed down and hurriedly cleaned alexander. she was very careful, afraid that his family jewel would stand up full of vitality again. her breathing was heavy, and the room was silent as her eyes were dazed while doing her job. when everything was clean, she also wiped away the liquid on her, feeling relieved. she took a deep breath, glancing once more at his resting form before carefully folding the damp towel. aeloria then brought some clothes and helped alexander put them on, ensuring she did it smoothly, fearful of triggering a reaction. when she put perfectly helped him wore some pants, she sighed in relief that nothing happened. if it did happen, she would die of embarrassment. the hardest part was the guilt, knowing that what she was doing was wrong. after standing up and seeing alexander''s relieved face, she couldn''t help but smile at his relaxed expression. she slowly walked towards him, leaning in close to his face, her eyes filled with affection. she gazed at his lips, her mind filled with curious thoughts. "if i give him a little kiss, he won''t get angry, right?" she whispered in a low voice. "we''ve already done so much, but did not finish the formal ceremony- so, this isn''t too improper, right?" aerloria whispered to herself, her heart racing as she leaned closer, her lips hovering just above alexander''s. but in that delicate moment, the door slid open. sea??h th§× novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "aerloria! i just found some bandages! i thought we''d run out, but luckily, i''d stashed a few for futu¡ª" grandma may stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her. aerloria froze, her face that is inches away from alexander''s, she then felt her cheeks burn hotter than ever. caught red-handed, she pulled back immediately, horrified, barely able to meet grandma may''s stunned gaze. "a-ah! grandma may, it''s not what you think, i¡ªuh¡ªwe¡ªi just wanted to¡­" aerloria stammered. her words tumbling over themselves as her mind raced, scrambling to find some explanation, any explanation. but nothing coherent came to her. "hahaha, aerloria, there''s no need to be so shy. this is perfectly natural!" grandma may said, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she pursed her lips. "oh, don''t worry little girl," she added with a warm, knowing smile, "i''m sorry for interrupting. you can carry on with your plan. consider this our little secret." she gave a conspiratorial wink, clearly delighted by the scene. "grandma may! it''s¡­ it''s really not what you think!" aerloria protested, her voice high with embarrassment, but grandma may only chuckled as she left the room. flustered and desperate, aerloria dashed out of the room, her heart pounding as she left, hoping to explain herself¡ªthough she wasn''t sure she could even find the words. Chapter 75 Mission Complete alexander who lying in silence, he was still and motionless on the bed, showing no signs of stirring.when aeloria returned, she set to work cleaning and bandaging his wounds, carefully applying medicinal herbs to speed up his healing. even though his body seemed to have an inhuman ability to recover, she still tended to his injuries, to ensure he had the best chance for a full recovery. three days passed in this way, with aeloria watching over him. but alexander remained unconscious, barely moving, lost in his own world. finally, on the fourth day, a faint tremor flickered over his eyelids, and his eyes opened slowly. the familiar view of the room''s ceiling greeted him, and he felt an odd sense of comfort in its familiarity. he slowly sat up, pushing the quilt off his body. running a hand over his forehead, his gaze shifted down to his bandaged torso. "dang... i really thought i''d died and was somehow back to my world," he muttered, a hint of awe creeping into his voice. "i''m actually still alive, what a surprised." he finished, with a smile. with the severity of his injuries and the poison that had already spread through his bloodstream, he knew he must have died and failed the mission, facing the system punishment. "what a big plot twist," he said, his eyes glimmering as he tried to recall the events. he only remembered being stabbed and then passing out from the excessive loss of blood. [congratulations on completing the mission, host.] [the system is very pleased with your hard work and dedication to your first mission in traveling to another realm.] the system panel stated, leaving him stunned and excited. he had defeated the man in the black suit, it was clear he was the mastermind in the mission. [as a result, the system will bestow upon you a gift to bring you joy.] [for your diligent efforts, you have been granted an item.] [you have received a one-time use ''dimensional passport x2''.] [item: dimensional passport grade: legendary description: this mystical item allows the user to transport any living being to any realm they have previously visited. if the host uses this item to bring citizens from another realm to their own, those individuals will be affected by your skill, traveler. traveler: any person brought to your world will only understand the languages you know. for example, if you speak filipino, the transported person will only understand filipino. if you have a basic understanding of english, the person will also have a basic understanding of english. note: this item can only be used once. make sure to carefully consider your actions before using it.] the dimensional passport was then placed in his inventory, its appearance greatly mesmerizing his viewpoint. the cover shimmered with shifting colors, adorned with intricate patterns that gave it a magical aura. the edges glowed faintly, adding to its mystical appearance. there were even some runes on the cover, giving it a magical vibe. "this item is truly amazing; it''s even a legendary-grade item. with this, does it mean i can bring anyone i want back to my world?" alexander exclaimed as the realization dawned on him. he then closed the system inventory as another system panel appeared before him. [mission: saved the village difficulty: medium reward: +3 level, random middle grade item, and new system function. description: you will be transported to another world on an island called ''mistveil island''. the goal of this is to keep the village ''ariana'' from the beast attacks and find the mastermind attracting this beast. you will be transported after 3 days, please be prepared. failing the mission, will make the host experience sperm cramps for 1 week with 100% pain intensity. time remaining: 13 days. status: completed] alexander was excited that he can finally receive his rewards making him so happy of course. [status update...] s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [status experience: 30,000/34,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 18 discover stories with empire title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 33 strength: 125 speed: 95 agility: 80 dexterity: 65 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 85 charisma: 10 {max} earnings: 102,005 pesos balance: 4,227,168 pesos skills: {heart of stone[un], {berserker instinct}, {toxin nullifier} techniques: {serpents coil}, {vital draw technique} weapons: {infernal fury}] alexander couldn''t help but be in awe of how far he had come. he felt incredibly strong, almost like a nuclear bomb ready to detonate if he returned to his world. he realized that even a skyscraper could be destroyed with just a punch, and he could feel the toughness of his skin for defense. guns, bazookas, tanks, and missiles would be ineffective against him. making him really proud of his self. "what a cheat, what a cheat! this is truly cheating," alexander muttered, curling his lips in a mix of amazement and happiness. [new function of the system unlocked] [expedition mode] [system function: expedition mode {unlocked} description: you have unlocked the expedition mode. in this mode, you can send your miniature self on expeditions to gather resources, earn money, and discover rare items while you''re away. these expeditions will continue to generate rewards over time, allowing you to progress even when you are not actively playing. [note: upgrading the expedition mode will increase the time needed to claim the rewards.] [expedition mode {level 1}: to upgrade expedition mode to the next level, it will cost: 100,000,000,000.] instructions: you can make money overtime, but you''ll have to invest an amount that is not lower or higher than 1 million pesos. potential rewards: a 30-50% return on investment, a 50% chance to receive a lower grade item, and a 10% chance for a middle grade item. additionally, boost items are available with a 10% probability. expedition time: 1 day.] [increasing the level of upgrades can enhance the return on investment, also raise the chances of obtaining an item of a higher grade. additionally, the inclusion of some high-grade boost items can further increase its probability.] alexander reading the effect while listening to the system explanation, realizing that being rich had become much easier now. [also, as the upgrade increases, the time for the expedition will also increase. this function can only be used after you return back to your world.] [after completing the mission, you are granted a three-day period before your transportation back.] the system announced this as his final reward appeared before him, accompanied by the electronic voice of the system. [a random middle-grade item will be given to the host. to ensure fairness, the system offers the host the chance to spin for their own random reward.] hearing this, alexander nodded in satisfaction, not wanting his reward to be completely predetermined and handed to him. suddenly, a spinning wheel appeared in front of him as he pulled the red lever, setting the spin into motion. "let it be something useful." "something useful, please." "please, let it be useful," he repeated in silent prayer, watching the wheel spin. he resembled an eager child anticipating his reward. just like before, the rewards were hidden behind question marks, leaving him uncertain of what he would receive. as the wheel spun for a few moments, it gradually slowed down until it finally stopped on the prize. curious about what awaited him behind the question mark, he could only hope for a good outcome. congratulations, host! you have won ''spectral suite''. [armor: spectral suite description: ghostly armor that offers high mobility and moderate protection. effects: +12 defense, +8 agility, invisibility in shadows unique passive: phantom guard - reduces the likelihood of being hit by enemy attacks by 10%.] the armor was placed in his inventory, and as he withdrew it with excitement, the splendor of the armor materialized before him. in his hands the armor exudes an aura of dark elegance and formidable power. the armor is predominantly black, with intricate, sharp-edged metallic details that give it a gothic and intimidating appearance. the chest plate and shoulder guards are adorned with ornate designs, adding a touch of malevolent beauty to the ensemble. the hood, which obscures the wearer''s face, enhances the mysterious and ominous look, creating an air of enigma around the wearer. the arm guards and leg guards are equally elaborate, providing full protection while maintaining a sleek, agile form. the overall design combines the spectral, ghostly theme with a warrior-like presence, making the wearer look both mysterious and incredibly menacing. with its unique blend of beauty and danger, the spectral armor is not perfect one for a character like alexander whose ability was so destructive. it even has its own gloves that are intricately designed in a color of obsidian, dancing along the fingertips, providing both a menacing appearance and enhanced dexterity. the boots are lightweight yet sturdy, enabling swift, silent steps as if the wearer were gliding across the ground. looking at the armor, alexander was in a great mood. while it may not fully align with his own abilities, it was still a valuable piece offering defense, agility, and even invisibility in shadows. "this armor is more fitting for an assassin than a berserker," he declared, scrutinizing it. the design and appearance of the armor resembled something out of a movie he had watched, remembering it''s appearance from the outfits in assassin''s creed. "well, learning skills related to an assassin is not a bad choice," he remarked, stroking his chin as he nodded in approval of the idea. suddenly, the door opened, and aeloria''s face appeared slightly nonchalant. however, upon seeing alexander sitting on the bed, her expression transformed into one of happiness as she ran towards him like a little girl seeing a candy. Chapter 76 "alex, you''re awake!" aeloria exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes.alexander, caught off guard by her sudden reaction, was stunned, frozen in place on the bed. aeloria leaned against his chest, where the bandages still covered his wounds. her two hands squeezed against his chest, her face pressed against his. the tears in her eyes dampened the bandages. "hey, hey! aeloria, stop crying. i''m not dead, am i? why are you crying as if i''ve died?" alexander said, his heart warming as he patted her back. hearing the voice she had been longing to hear for so long, even though it had only been four days to her, it felt like months or years. she raised her head slightly, gazing at him. alexander was captivated by the sight, she was crying, with tears cascading down her flushed pink cheeks. her demeanor was a mix of joy and melancholy, presenting a sight that was both beautiful and appealing. aeloria''s large eyes and pronounced features lent her a childlike quality, enhancing her aura of vulnerability and innocence. "this, this..." alexander faltered, his eyes brimming with affection. find exclusive stories on empire "aeloria, please stop crying, okay? look, your appearance is almost like that of an ugly duckling," alexander teased, smiling as he gently wiped her face with his hands. as she felt his touch, warmth and shyness washed over aeloria, and she let him dry her tears. however, upon being called ugly, she puffed up her cheeks, ceased her crying, and bit the hand before her. alexander was taken aback by the abrupt attack. although his hand wasn''t in pain, the instinctive human reaction to anticipate pain caused him to groan as if he were hurt. seeing what she had done, aeloria panicked and felt remorseful. "what did i do!" she spoke inwardly, repenting from her actions. "alex, are you alright? i''m so sorry, i just... i don''t know what came over me," aeloria said, her mind overwhelmed with sympathy. alexander, upon seeing her expression, chuckled softly and responded, "don''t worry about it; i was merely surprised. look, i''m not actually hurt," he said, displaying his bitten hand to her. s§×ar?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. there was no bite mark at all, making her calm down. "that''s good~" she said, falling into his embrace once again, feeling relieved. alexander was in a state of dilemma, seeing her so attached to him. what if he went back and left her? but then he remembered the rewards, particularly the item that could travel to any realm, and he felt ecstatic. however, the question lingered in his mind: what if she didn''t agree? this thought caused his mind to ache as he stared at the open door in a daze. while he was spacing out, aeloria wrapped her arms around his neck, sitting between his laps. since they had already done something much more embarrassing, her current actions only affected her slightly causing redness in her face. "alex, is there something on your mind? why are you spacing blankly all of a sudded?" aeloria remarked, looking at him with concern. she was worried that maybe he was feeling unwell from being in a coma for four days. alexander, who was back to reality, looked at her and the position she was in right now. he then mustered up his courage to state his troubles. if aeloria didn''t want to follow him, he wouldn''t force her to go with him unwillingly. alexander was aware that the world posed real dangers for them, particularly because they were both women, which could make them vulnerable to bad men. "but am i not a bad man for taking her away from her own world to live with me?" he said inwardly, questioning his actions. "but my conscience is good, so i''m not really a bad person," he said, trying to console himself. seeing him taking a long time to speak, aeloria was confused until she heard him speak. "actually, aeloria, i have to leave after three days. that''s why i''m wondering if..." he said, looking into her face but was cut off, by a loud exclamation. "big brother, you''ve woken up! little anya misses you so much!" anya, with pascal perched above her head, narrowed its gaze. pascal: ahhh, humans. with the sudden interruption alexander felt like his energy was drained, the time was good the momentum was great but alas. "oh, little anya, do you miss your big brother that much?" alexander said with a smile, as anya ran towards him. she halted abruptly upon seeing the two, exclaiming with cheeks puffed and arms crossed, "big sister, why are you hugging big brother alex like that? it''s not fair, anya wants to hug big brother too!" alexander, seeing her actions, couldn''t help but laugh. her expression was that of a girl whose favorite toy had been stolen. aeloria didn''t let go, looking at alexander, her gaze unwavering. she had clearly heard what he said, making her freeze in place. "leave? leave me? leave us?," she muttered her mind was not in the right state right now. anya, not getting a reply from her big sister, flared up in anger and jumped between them in the center that had a small space. with the sudden interruption, aeloria was woken up from her dazed state. looking at the culprit, it was anya, causing her face to release a slight smile. "anya, why are you so aggressive all of a sudden? hehe, look at your face, it seems like i did something bad," aeloria said, letting go of alexander and sitting back on the bed, pinching anya''s cheeks. anya glanced to the side, her lips pursed in a pout. alexander couldn''t resist stroking her hair gently with his hands. "haha, anya, don''t be upset. look at your cheeks; they''re so puffed up they might burst," he teased. "anya is not angry, big brother alex. anya just missed you so much, but big sister didn''t even call anya. hmph," she said, hugging him with her cute little arms, looking at aeloria with grievance. aeloria couldn''t help but feel wronged, asking for forgiveness from the little child. anya accepted it with a smile, going towards her while her cheeks were being squeezed by aeloria, who was in a daze. clearly, she was in a deep thought. with the sudden quiet atmosphere, where only anya''s humming sound could be heard, alexander decided to inquire, knowing that it wasn''t a good time to state his leave. "oh yeah, aeloria, how long have i been sleeping?" he inquired, thinking that it must have only been one day. "you have been in a coma for four days now. we really thought you weren''t waking up. but since you''re breathing well, and your injuries are fully healed, we decided to wait for a while, and finally, you''ve woken up," she said, tears starting to well up again, but she stopped and looked at him full of affection. "$ days?" alexander muttered inwardly, with a shocked face, but quickly calmed down and was very much surprised. "what is the condition of the villagers right now? are there any problems?" alexander asked, curious if there was any trouble left. aeloria simply shook her head and replied, "nothing occurred while you were in a coma. the beast attacks have ceased, and our normal life has returned," she expressed with a smile of relief. finally, the days of hell were finally done, thanks to the man in front of her, filled with gratitude. alexander just nodded, knowing that his mission was already complete since there were no more troubles left. however, before his departure, there was still unfinished business to attend to. therefore, it was crucial that any impending troubles be resolved before his teleportation back, three days later. alexander first got off the bed and stretched his body. he then put on some clothes that were given by aeloria. "so, who is currently in charge of managing the village?" he inquired, turning to aeloria who stood beside him, already on her feet as well. "oh, actually it''s uncle nendo. i think you already met him back when you gave us time to escape," she replied. "oh," alexander replied, then the image of a man filled with bravery popped up in his mind. it was evident that the village would thrive under this man''s guidance, although much would depend on the circumstances. as for alexander, he was quite taken with the man''s attitude and personality. "let''s step outside for a bit, i need to stretch since i''ve been lying for 4 days," alexander suggested to aeloria, as anya raised her hands, signaling her desire to be picked up. which he gladly did. he could even see the little gecko was wrapping around her neck. looking at the little creature, he couldn''t help but smile at this animal that had already formed a bond with anya. as they exited the room, he saw grandma may, whom he greeted. grandma may was a little deaf, so she couldn''t hear the noise in the room. when she saw alexander, she was very happy, of course. she even wanted to kneel down to express her gratitude, making alexander angry. he quickly intervened and told her that while expressing gratitude is appreciated, one should never kneel for it. alexander was uncomfortable with the elderly kneeling before him as if he were royalty, even if it was a gesture of thanks. Chapter 77 as alexander stepped out of the house, the bright sunlight enveloped his face, prompting him to close his eyes and savor the refreshing sensation."little anya, where do you want to go?" alexander asked, looking above. s§×arch* the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "anywhere big brother," anya exclaimed, as she placed her two delicate hands on his forehead. "hahaha, then up-up and away," alexander spoke as they traveled. aeloria trailed closely behind the pair, her dazed expression making it evident that she was not in her usual state of mind. as they walked along the path within the village, the news spread rapidly among the villagers, much like wildfire. "look! the young warrior is awake! he''s finally awake!" the call echoed through the small community, each shout full of joy and relief. it was as if the person who shouted had been holding its breath, waiting for this moment. people hurried out of their homes, dropping whatever they had been doing, and rushed to catch sight of alexander, who stood at the center of attention. "bless the heavens, he''s really alive!" one elder said, her voice cracking with emotion. "i was beginning to think we''d lost him." her wrinkled face, usually stern and composed, softened with a wide smile, and she clasped her hands as if in prayer. "young warrior! you gave us all a scare," another villager called out, laughing as he wiped at tears that had sprung up unexpectedly. "you really have the spirit of a lion!" another one added. a few children gathered around, peeking up at him with wide eyes filled with awe and admiration. a few young boys exchanged glances and whispered, "i want to be like him one day," their voices filled with newfound dreams. ... for the record, i omitted mentioning children and kids because only a few reside here, and they are usually confined to their homes, so i excluded those details. ... they all gathered before him, forming a circle around his location. he felt akin to a celebrity in that moment. witnessing the admiration and gratitude on their faces, he was, naturally, pleased. "hey, can''t you see he''s just woken up? he needs some space and fresh air. let''s give him that and save our congratulations for our savior later," nendo addressed the gathering crowd. the villagers who heard him did not refute him at all. they just expressed their gratitude one by one, to which alexander nodded in return to show his respect. as they began to disperse, alexander couldn''t help but sigh in relief. finally, he could breathe. "i have to give you my thanks for that," alexander expressed his gratitude, looking at nendo. hearing his thanks, nendo just waved his hands, "hahaha, you don''t have to do that. i don''t want your thanks, more precisely. i should thank you. if it weren''t for you, we would have been goners," he said as he bowed his head. alexander was about to stopped him, but nendo voiced stopped his actions, "don''t stop me, i just want to express my heartfelt gratitude for saving our village if it weren''t for you. "ariana village" will merely be a part of history. hearing his heartfelt gratitude, alexander just nodded solemnly. clearly, he was very uncomfortable. "alright, you can stand upright now, you''re making me uncomfortable," alexander muttered with a smile. "hahaha, young man, you really are so humble. what about you, little anya? what are you doing up there?" nendo asked, gazing upwards where anya was riding alexander. "hehe, uncle, i''m just enjoying the view," anya hummed in reply. nendo then looked behind and glanced towards aeloria with a greeting, to which she nodded as well. he then looked back towards alexander and inquired. "do you have something that you need my help with? i can accompany you if you want to," he bellowed. alexander, hearing this, nodded his head as he lifted anya down and walked towards aeloria. stay updated through empire "aeloria, take care of anya for a bit. i''m just going to have a private chat with our new village chief," he said with a smile. aeloria nodded as she took anya, and alexander then patted the little girl''s head, seeing her angry look. "anya, don''t be angry. i''m just going to have a grown-up talk with your uncle nendo, okay," he said with a vibrant smile. anya just nodded her head in reply with puffed-up cheeks, clearly not liking it, but she had to. alexander then glanced back at aeloria and saw that she was silent, looking at him. this sight made him sigh, knowing that his words earlier must have hit her deeply. he would have a private talk with her after all of this was done so it could be done in one fell swoop. as he made his way back towards nendo, the man was there waiting. once they met, they walked away together. "so, what is the status of the village while i was in a coma? i''ve remembered i caused a lot of damage around the surrounding area," he asked, looking front. "while you were in a coma, we repaired the damaged area. i directed some villagers to fill the craters with soil, and we cut and utilized the uprooted trees. we buried the corpses that were scattered around, but the ravenwing''s body was too large and heavy to move, so we left it there," nendo recounted the events. "we decided to chop it up into pieces and bury its body, but its scales and even its skin are harder than steel, so that''s why i''ve been waiting for you to wake up if you can offer any solution," he finished. alexander, hearing this, nodded his head as they arrived at the corpse. he also wondered what he was going to use this corpse for. "system, is there any use for the corpse of this flying beast?" he asked. [no, if this beast is at least a spirit beast, he could have been useful since every spirit beast has what you call the ''aetherial core.'' this is greatly sought after by alchemists, formation masters, and blacksmiths.] [since the ''aetherial core'' is filled with a large amount of condensed energy, it can be used to power up formations. it can also add buffs to certain weapons or armors. for alchemists, it can offer great boost in attributes depending on the way it was refined.] listening to the explanation of the system, alexander understood now. he couldn''t help but sigh in sadness since the beasts he vanquished were all one step away from being a spirit beast. "so, what can i do with this stuff?" alexander muttered, clearly very much confused, since he couldn''t just throw it in the forest, right? it would even attract more trouble for the village. suddenly, an idea popped up in his mind. "system, is it okay to put this in the system inventory?" he asked inwardly. [yes, it''s allowed since the body was already lifeless without any sign of vitality and lingering soul. the host can store it in the system storage.] hearing this, alexander was relieved that the problem was finally solved. "system, put it in my inventory." [roger that, host.] as the remains of the ravenwing gradually vanished, shrouded in a cascade of blue particles, nendo watched in awe at the spectacle orchestrated by alexander. but he quickly calmed down and did not ask what he did, thinking that this must be one of the abilities of being a warrior. also, it must be private so asking this is not really good. "so, you wanted to speak with me in private, right?" nendo said, his gaze fixed on alexander. "is there something specific you''d like to discuss?" he finished. "yes, uncle nendo," alexander replied. "three days from now, i have to leave. i don''t know if i''ll ever be able to return, so i need to resolve any problems that might arise once i''m gone." he stated. hearing this, nendo nodded, already prepared from this. with his experience, he understood that young people often needed to venture out to explore the world, especially a talented one like him. "i knew this time would come," he said steadily. "after all, you weren''t originally a citizen of this village. but just remember this, if you ever choose to return, the village will welcome you as family, no matter who you''ve become." alexander felt warmth at those words, as he asked his real purposed, "uncle nendo, do you know where the lair of the bandit who killed anya''s parents is?" his eyes hardened, a hint of killing intent flickering within them. "i want them to understand that in this world, karma still exists." he said his voice was accompanied by coldness. sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, nendo can felt the anger radiating from alexander. he, too, felt a surge of rage as memories of anya''s mother resurfaced in his mind. he could still clearly picture her terrible condition. nendo really wanter to avenge her himself, but his hands were tied. overstepping his boundaries would only bring trouble to him and the village, so he could do nothing but grit his teeth in frustration as he watched anya''s mother suffer every day. his fear was not for himself, but for the others who might be implicated. acting without considering the pros and cons could lead to a disaster, not just for him, but for the entire community. "to tell you the truth, i came across their lair during a hunting trip. it''s about ten kilometers from the village, up on that mountain," nendo said, pointing toward the nearby peaks. "if you head straight from here, you''ll find a cave guarded by bandits," he added, recalling the scene from his memory. years ago, while hunting, he had stumbled upon the place by accident. after catching two rabbits, he had spotted a pair of bandits and decided to follow them, eventually finding their lair. he had etched the location into his memory, waiting for the day someone strong enough would come to exterminate these bastards. fortunately, that day had finally come. someone capable stood before him, ready to lift this burden from his shoulders. after finishing their conversation about life and other matters, alexander bid his farewell. later that night, seated alone in his room, he opened his eyes from his meditation, sitting in a lotus position, fully prepared for what lay ahead. [this chapter has taken more pages than expected for his first mission, don''t get mad since this will be important for the future] Chapter 78 Karma is real 1 opening his eyes, alexander stood up from the bed. he had already eaten and used the, [vital drawing technique] to fully digest his meal.now, he slipped on the spectral suit. as he adjusted it, he couldn''t help but feel that he looked impressive, too bad there wasn''t a mirror in this world to confirm his intuition. just then, the door slid open, revealing aeloria, her gaze intent as she watched him. "alex, are you going out?" she asked. initially taken aback by the outfit, she swiftly composed herself and awaited his response. alexander wasn''t surprised from her sudden intrusion, he had sensed someone outside, hearing some faint footsteps and noticing the slight gap in the door. he can clearly guess it was her. "yes, aeloria, i will be out for a bit and will return shortly. upon my return, i will explain everything to you," he responded. aeloria nodded, then suddenly ran toward him, wrapping her arms around his chest. alexander couldn''t help but wonder, "does she really enjoy hugging me that much? have i actually carved out a place in her heart?" he blushed slightly as he hugged her back, his arms circling in her delicate waist. aeloria lifted her gaze to him and whispered delicately, "be careful, and make sure you come back safely." with their faces so close, alexander couldn''t resist and gently brushed his lips against hers. unable to stop himself, he deepened the kiss, murmuring, "guess i really am a bit impulsive." in a low voice that no one could hear even aeloria. aeloria moaned softly, her body seeming to grow weaker in his arms as her eyes turned misty. the intensity in her gaze made his heart blaze, reminding him of a moment they''d once shared but left unfinished. yet, he restrained himself, knowing it wasn''t the right time. he took a steadying breath, reminding himself that they hadn''t even confirmed their relationship yet. acting on lust alone felt wrong, and he didn''t want to risk disrespecting the bond growing between them. "maybe i should consider learning buddhism or taoism," alexander thought as he took his face a step back, letting aeloria catch her breath. she sank into his arms, her face flushed deep red, the color spreading to her neck and ears. "sorry about that¡ªi couldn''t hold back," he muttered, gritting his teeth. this desire felt more intense than he had anticipated. aeloria, too shy and embarrassed to meet his eyes, gave him a warm smile and whispered, "it''s okay, i''m not upset." her voice was barely audible, and she shifted her weight shyly. alexander took a steadying breath, silently chanting, ''amitabha'' inwardly, trying to clear his mind from the impure thoughts. he placed his hands on her shoulders, gently guiding her back. "wait for me here, alright? i have a surprise for you," alexander said, pinching her nose playfully. aeloria looked down, her blush deepening. after saying his farewells, he headed out. anya was already asleep with grandma may, leaving him free to focus on his mission. following nendo''s directions, he set off toward the bandits'' lair. with the spectral suit concealing his aura, he felt remarkably light, almost ghostly. he thought to himself that he could easily pass for a member of the legendary assassin group, the ''assassins creed''. dashing swiftly from tree to tree, he left a faint afterimages in his wake, moving like a phantom in the night. even a person with sharp eyesight wouldn''t be able to spot him. after only five minutes, he had covered the ten kilometers and arrived near the bandits'' hideout. scanning the area, he quickly located the entrance. it was heavily guarded, with two bandits clad in leather and iron armor. torches burned on either side of the cave entrance, casting flickering shadows across the guards and illuminating the area outside. "if this is indeed the place, then the time has come for me to deliver justice to this world," alexander whispered, his determination solidifying. even if his hands were drenched in blood, he was willing to carry that weight if it meant ridding the world of evil. though he lacked true experience in killing a person and knew the weight of that responsibility, he was grateful for his skill, ''heart of stone'', which would help him bear the burden. "let''s take the first step," he whispered, stepping slowly from his hiding spot. the two guards, slumped against the cave entrance, were bored and sleepy. one of them even yawned, clearly wishing he could rest for the night. suddenly, the sound of faint footsteps reached their ears, snapping them to attention. startled, they drew their weapons, pointing them at the dark figure approaching from the shadows. clad in black, alexander moved with an aura so chilling that an eerie tension filled the air, sending cold sweat trickling down their backs. "who are you to speak?!" the man with the spear roared, his voice echoing with a bravado that was quickly crumbling as he saw the cold, hard glint in alexander''s eyes. "dead men tell no tales," alexander replied, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down their spines. his killing intent, a palpable force of raw, untamed power, exploded outwards, engulfing the two men in a wave of icy terror. they felt like a prey, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as they faced a predator, not just any predator, but one clad in human flesh. "don''t... don''t come any closer," the man with the sword stammered, his voice cracking with fear. his hand, gripping the hilt of his sword, was shaking so violently. the other man, his face was ghastly white, as he stood frozen, with his eyes wide with terror. they both knew, deep in their hearts, that they were no matched from the appearance of this man. alexander''s gaze was cold and unwavering then suddenly the sword [infernal fury], materialized in his hand. seeing the sudden appearance of the sword, the two men scrambled to react, but it was too late. in a flash of pure speed, alexander vanished from his spot, a gust of wind whipping past them as he materialized behind them. their screams were cut short as a sharp, searing pain ripped through their chests. blood gushed from the wounds staining their armor. even the armor, that is used to defend its user was useless. they then collapsed lifelessly, with their bodies falling to the ground with a thud, their last breaths escaping in a flurry of coughs and gasps. [you killed a level 3 human. you''ve gained 8 exp.] [you killed a level 4 human. you''ve gained 11 exp.] alexander stepped into the light cave, the path illuminated by flickering torches that cast long, the way attaching itself on the walls. as he walked deeper, the space began to open up, revealing a vast chamber filled with noise. a dozen or so bandits, with their faces hardened by years of violence and debauchery, were gathered around a long, crudely made tables, their laughter booming through the cave. "hahaha, brothers, let''s drink! let''s drink to another good harvest!" a man with a face twisted by a scar, his eyes gleaming with a cruelty. "yeah, let''s celebrate! hahaha, those women from the village, they were real beauties! just imagine their screams when we assaulted them for an hour straight. that look on their faces, were really priceless!" another bandit added, clinking his cup against another''s, his voice dripping with a sickening pleasure. "can''t argue with that," a third bandit chimed in, his laughter echoing through the chamber. "the best part was her mother, letting her kid get violated right in front of her. just the look on her face, that is pure terror and disbelief, was captivating! it was a real masterpiece." he said gleefuly. "hey, hey, don''t forget about the husband," a burly man with a thick neck and bulging biceps interjected, slapping the last speaker on the back, a sound like a thunderclap. "you should have gone a little softer on her wife and daughter, you know. look at the trauma that you have place on him, has poor guy." he said sarcastically. "well, that''s if they''re still alive," the last bandit smirked, his eyes glinting with a chilling indifference. as alexander stood in the darkness, his ears catching the vile boasts of the bandits, a storm brewed within him. his anger, surged through his veins, turning his eyes to glacial ice. the injustice and cruelty inflicted by these men ignited a fire in his soul, a fire that burned with a fierce, unrelenting rage. [berserker instinct was activated] the system announced, seeing the sudden increased in fury that coursed through alexander. it was a primal response, a natural reaction of his anger, in triggering his skill. the bandits, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the atmosphere, stood frozen in shock and disbelief. their happy celebration was shattered by the ominous presence that now loomed before them. s~ea??h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. in the center of their place, a figure materialized, cloaked in black suite. the man who had spoken last felt a chill run down his spine as he locked eyes with the stranger. the coldness in those eyes seemed to pierce his very soul, stripping away the haze of drunkenness making him wide awake. the bandits, once filled with bravado and cruelty, now quivered in fear, their voices silenced by the sudden appearance of an unknown person in front of them with a sudden surge in strength, his skill, [berserker instinct], had the immense ability to suppress his enemies by making them feel his intense bloodlust. the man was about to speak when a large hand covered his field of view, gripping it tightly and causing him to groan as he was lifted off the ground. he struggled, punching and kicking at the hands that held him, but it was futile. the man holding him stood unshaken, like a towering building. with an iron grip, alexander seized the man by the face, his features contorting in agony as he was yanked close before being flung across the cave, his body colliding with the rocky wall. the sickening impact left him slumped, his lifeless eyes staring into oblivion. [you killed a level 5 human. you''ve gained 15 exp.] read exclusive chapters at empire the system''s cold announcement was heard by him. the bandits, their faces drained of color, watched in disbelief as one of their own met a swift and brutal end with just a single throw. the air crackled with tension as the man wielding a heavy sword stepped forward, his voice was firm but his grip is shaky. "our location''s been discovered. let''s teach this bastard a lesson. brothers, prepare yourselves," he barked, rallying the rest of the bandits to action. surrounded on all sides, alexander remained unfazed, his blade humming with anticipation. "idiots," alexander muttered, his eyes glared coldly. the blade in his hand seemed to hum with a life of its own, eager for the impending carnage. as the cave filled with the shouts, screams, and pleas for mercy, alexander moved with relentless assault. in that moment, there was no escape from his wrath, his like a god of death providing justice. [you killed a level 4 human. you''ve gained 11 exp.] [you killed a level 6 human. you''ve gained 14 exp.] [you killed a level 4 human. you''ve gained 10 exp.] ... a series of notifications sounded in his ears, which was like music to his ears, but this did not calm his anger down. the bandits were like chickens on a chopping board. as all of them lay down and the place was filled with blood and wreckage, alexander stood calmly, looking at what he had done. then, heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance tunnel as about eight men entered. the man in the center, brimming with smiles, was large and tall, his frame adorned with an impressive musculature. he just stopped, and not just him, but his companions were also frozen, looking at the scene. all the loot bags they were carrying were dropped to the ground in a heavily thud, and a coin different from any other rolled on the ground. "take out your weapons!" he shouted, filled with caution. his face was serious, looking at the person who seemed to be the cause of this. Chapter 79 Karma is real 2 hearing the loud shout, all of them hurriedly took out their weapons, pointing at alexander glintly. their faces were malicious and vicious, looking at him filled with hatred. s~ea??h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."why did you kill all of my companions? have we, the wicked talons, done something to offend you?" the man in the center, who was carrying a sword, bellowed. he did not know why a mysterious person had come to massacre his group of bandits that he managed. he had always been cautious and never offended those who are not to be offended. in front of him, he could feel that it must be a warrior since he had already massacred his members without even sweating. the hair all over him stood on end, the others were also not exempted. even though alexander was just standing still without moving, the bloodlust surged like a killing wave washing over them. they felt that they were in hell just by looking at his red eyes, visible from the black robe. alexander did not say anything, just looked at them coldly as he sneered inwardly. suddenly, his eyes caught someone, making him purse his lips. it was actually none other than the big guy who was holding a battle axe. he clearly remembered the guy''s name was vladimir. "is this also fate?" alexander muttered inwardly. "but since you have appeared in front of me again, it''s time to put an end to this bandit gang," he finished. receiving no reply, the man frowned but did not show his displeased face. even though he was not a warrior, he was considered a strong person. why would he not be the leader if he was not strong? alexander, like a mute person, did not speak. wasting his breath on someone who is going to die would be so wasteful. he then spread out his hand holding the blade, disappearing from the naked eye as it was covered by spectral lights storing it in his inventory. seeing this, the leader of the bandits sensed an impending doom. he was about to alert his brothers but it was too late. with a gust of wind, alexander flew like a bullet, leaving two small cracks in the ground where he stood. the man hurriedly thrust his sword, trying to intercept him, even though he couldn''t see alexander. he decided to try his luck if he could catch him, but it was futile. alexander appeared, holding the blade and pinning it between his two fingers. the leader of the bandits was horrified seeing this and was about to take it back. but alexander exerted force in his fingers, snapping the blade. he then raised his legs and released a powerful kick. the man was too slow to dodge, getting hit in the chest with a loud thud. bones broke with a snap, making an ugly expression as his eyes turned white. puking lots of blood, his body flew, sliding to the ground far away from him. the man did not stand up, clearly he was badly damaged from that strike. alexander, knowing he had merely disabled the man with his earlier attack, watched as a wave of fear washed over the remaining bandits at the sight of their boss being incapacitated. one of the bandits, driven by a mix of fear and desperation, lunged forward with his hefty sword, aiming to strike alexander from behind in a lethal blow. unfazed, alexander''s expression remained stoic. with swift precision, he clenched his fist and seized the man''s wrist, the one holding the sword, redirecting the attack and delivering a sharp blow to the man''s abdomen. the bandit doubled over, as a surge of nausea overwhelming him, though there was nothing left in his stomach to expel. before he could recover, alexander swiftly took hold of his arms, effortlessly flinging him backward. with a firm grasp on the man''s neck, alexander brought him crashing down to the ground with such force that a small crater formed upon impact, the man''s body crumpling inwards with a sickening thud. [you killed a level 6 human. you''ve gained 8 exp.] the man did not even groan in pain as he was mashed to the earth, killing him. alexander then glanced at the five remaining bandits. vladimir, with the big axe, looked at this scene filled with horror, his mouth was agape. this scene made him remember the young man from weeks ago that made him look so silly. he could clearly remember how they were being played. now, the event repeated itself, making him shudder incredulously. "brothers, since we are going to die, let''s attack together and bring our best attacks," the man stated with heavy breaths, his face solemn as he looked at the mysterious man radiating with endless might. the man beside him was about to cry but steeled himself, "you''re right, brother. since we are going to die, we have to fight till the end to show this mysterious guy that we, the ''wicked talons,'' are not weak," the bandit spoke with integrity and bravery. the others looked at him with mouths wide open, clearly amazed by his ability to speak so well, motivating them with just a few words. they felt their morale rise inside their hearts, replacing the fear in their faces with bravery. "you''re right, we, the wicked talons, are not weak. we are not afraid of you!" vladimir said, confronting alexander with menacing eyes, not showing any fear. "that''s the spirit, my brothers. let''s show this mysterious man that we are not weak man," the man who first suggested attacking alexander together spoke again. alexander observed the scene with an unchanged expression. bravery could not bridge the vast gap in strength, it was merely a distraction from the harsh reality. "let''s attack on the count of three," the man declared, positioning himself to charge at alexander, while the others readied themselves as well. "3" he bellowed loudly, filled with enthusiasm. "2" "1" "charge!" he shouted, leading the charge as the others followed swiftly behind. as the bandits rallied with a collective cry to charge forward, alexander did not stand idly. with a surged of speed, he rushes towards them. as the man swung his blade down with menacing force, alexander moved with uncanny agility, bending sideways to evade the strike. in a fluid motion, he seized the man''s arms, expertly dislocating his joints with a swift, calculated maneuver, he also kicked his two nee knees creating some bone breaking sounds. the man''s anguished groans filled the cavern as he crumpled to the ground, immobilized by the excruciating pain. meanwhile, two other bandits closed in on alexander, the one was vladimir. anticipating their attack, alexander sprang into action, launching a devastating counterattack. with lightning speed, he delivered a powerful kick to their foot, the impact shattering the bones and rendering their feet useless. the sickening sound of bones splintering echoed through the cave as the bandits fell to the ground, writhing in agony. their foot was so flat like it was run over by a tank. "my foot!" the other bandit shouted horribly, the excruciating pain making him wish for death. vladimir''s face was also livid with pain as he dropped to his knees. their two feet were now useless, literally impossible to recover, leaving them kneeling on the ground as tears slid down their faces. another man rushed towards alexander. closing the distance with great speed, alexander positioned his hand just an inch away from the man''s chest, directly over his heart. with his fingers slightly curled and his hand flat, alexander generated an incredible force from his core, extending his arm in a sudden, explosive motion. the impact of the one-inch punch made the man''s eyes bulge in pain as the powerful strike sent him reeling. the explosive power made his heart stopped beating as he falls on the ground with a thud lying down motion less. [you killed a level 6 human. you''ve gained 9 exp.] the leading man, seeing this scene, now knew what reality was. he couldn''t help but laugh at himself for how silly he was earlier. but then his eyes saw something that made his face dark and livid with anger, "you bastard, don''t tell me this was your plan from the start!" he bellowed, full of rage, as he looked at the retreating figure running to the entrance of the cave to escape. hearing this, vladimir and the other bandit glanced back and saw that it was none other than their companion their brother-in-arms who had actually betrayed them. they were actually used so he could run and escape with his life, making them the scapegoats. this made them angry and filled with rage, that if they were given a chance, they would really kill him. the man who was running, with sweat pouring like a waterfall, was none other than the man who had motivated the group. he had already planned this from the very start. when they rushed towards the mysterious man, he just stood behind but did not run yet, wanting to see if some miracle would happen if they could kill him. however, his worldview was ruined when he saw the man only use some simple moves to decapitate them. without thinking twice, he decided to run. he cursed himself for not running in the first place. he did not look back as he used all his speed to escape from the cruel man. alexander just looked at him coldly. he then exerted force on the ground, making the debris jump up from the force, and the sword was pushed up as it floated above his knees. he then kicked the tip of the handle, and the sword flew without any constraint. the man, who saw the view outside of the entrance of the cave not far away and was very happy that he was about to escape, but he was too late. the blade pierced his back all the way to his front. he looked down, seeing that the blade was draped with blood, as he slowly raised his hands, shaking constantly, holding the sword blade with a pale face. continue your saga on empire "no- no... i was... close. i was so close," he muttered in heavy breath as he fell sideways, the blood was sliding from his mouth. his eyes were looking at the exit as he slowly lost consciousness. [you killed a level 5 human. you''ve gained 9 exp.] Chapter 80 Harvest? seeing that the betrayer was dead, they were happy, cursing and sneering at him. but as they looked into alexander''s eyes, which held a devilish gaze, their happy expressions stiffened."all of you can rest forever," he muttered in a heavy breath filled with coldness as he walked towards them step by step. he picked up a random sword and decided not to use his own sword, as it would only dirty it. he was now calm as an ocean, as his skill [berserker instinct] was already deactivated when his anger subsided. their faces turned pale. the man who was beside vladimir was about to beg for mercy, but it was too late as he was slashed diagonally full of brutality, ending his life. [you killed a level 6 human. you''ve gained 8 exp.] alexander was merciless, as what was there to be soft-hearted about? many innocent lives suffered because of them. as a person with a heart filled with justice, he couldn''t forgive them even if they begged him. he walked past vladimir without even glancing at him, heading towards the leading man who was the first to attack him earlier. "great master, no, heavenly master, please forgive me¡ªplea¡ªplease don''t kill me!!!" he shouted from his last statement as alexander just slashed at his neck, cutting it off. blood gushed out with his head rolling on the ground. [you killed a level 7 human. you''ve gained 10 exp.] he couldn''t help but find this scene a little gruesome, but his face remained indifferent. his heart stirred only a little bit inside him but calmed down as fast as it appeared. turning back, he cast a glance that was the epitome of indifference and chill, his frosty stare sending shivers down vladimir''s spine. "sir, master, please don''t kill me. please let me repent. i''ll try to turn a new leaf and become a good person," he begged alexander as he smashed his head to the ground, filled with fear, crying like a child with a runny nose. alexander stopped a few steps in front of him and looked at him coldly, feeling no pity at all. "tell me, when you killed, raped, and looted every innocent person, did you let them go when they beg for merc?" he said calmly, but it was accompanied by intense killing intent, making vladimir struggle to reply, shaking his body continuously. he couldn''t speak as memories flooded his mind. he could clearly remember all the victims that fell to his hand, were uncountable. he could hear their begging and cries, but he had been delighted to listen to this. now that the tables were turned, his fate would be the same as his victims, even though he wouldn''t be raped, he was still going to die. hearing the man named vladimir, not even defending himself. he sneered as his eyes turned sharp, and the sword in his hand spun as he thrust it at his back, aiming for his heart. vladimir puked some blood on the ground as alexander took the sword back, removing his hood. "look up" he bellowed. hearing this, vladimir slowly raised his head and was shocked. it was actually him. no wonder he gave off the same feeling as the young man he met weeks ago, sparing his life. he couldn''t help but laugh dryly as he felt his vision slowly fading. "what kind of coincidence is this? no wonder you give me the feeling that i seemed to have meet you before," he said, looking at alexander''s face with an ugly smile. "my fate is really destined to be killed by your hands," he muttered as his vision and breathing became unstable and inaudible. his heart was gushing out lots of blood, losing its ability to pump blood from the body. [you killed a level 7 human. you''ve gained 9 exp.] alexander just looked at the corpse before him as he stood there for a while, glancing at the person lying a few steps away from him. "do you think i''m stupid to not know that you are faking your death?" he said under his breath. even though his voice was low, the man clearly heard it. he panicked, his face turning solemn, knowing that he was next. he couldn''t get up or run away since his torso was badly damaged, his bones and the functionality of his body are not working, making him pale. the man slowly lifted his neck only and looked towards alexander, his expression was stunned. "a young man? a young man! are you freaking serious, a young man massacred my gang," he cursed, but knowing that the person in front of him was a warrior, he shut up. "master, no, young warrior, can you spare my life? i have lots of treasures and money. if you spare my life, i will give it all to you," he pleaded, his last straw of hope to live still hanging. alexander walked with low strides as he looked down at him and responded, "if i kill you, doesn''t that mean everything your bandit gang had will belong to me?" he said, full of indifference. hearing this, the man was now in a dilemma, not knowing what to offer to make the young man before him compromise. "you can''t buy your way out of this. repent in hell for what you have done," alexander said coldly, his voice calm yet terrifying. the man, hearing this, widened his eyes with a face full of unwillingness, "no¡ª" he shouted as the sword pierced his neck, stopping his vocal chords, making him shudder in pain until he slowly stopped moving, clearly dead. [you killed a level 9 human. you''ve gained 13 exp.] alexander surveyed the gruesome battlefield, but as he looked around, he felt nothing¡ªno guilt, no regret, no grief. his task was complete, and now, all he wanted to do was to go back home, away from the heavy stench of blood that hung in the air. among the loot, a coin caught his attention as it spilled out from one of the five bags. "hmm, is this what their money looks like?" he murmured, stepping closer. bending down, he extended his hand to pick it up. standing straight, he inspected the coin carefully, noticing its unusual design. an eagle with the head of a lion, he thought, turning it over in his hand. "this is definitely different from the money in my world. i wonder what this symbol means," he mused, examining the bronze surface closely. [the system detected that the host was holding a coin. would you like to convert it to your own currency?] as a holographic panel materialized in front of him, he inquired, "what would be the equivalent value if it were converted into my world''s currency?" [to exchange the currency known as solaris in this world, the conversion rates are as follows: 1 bronze solaris = 10 pesos 1 silver solaris = 20 pesos 1 gold solaris = 100 pesos 1 solaris bill = 1000 pesos] discover more stories at empire the system showed that alexander had a good grasp. seeing this, his eyes turned starry, "what a great harvest!" he exclaimed. he then looked at the coins that were spread out, seeing some silver and bronze, but there was no gold coin or bill at all. so, he gathered all of them one by one. [the system has detected approximately 1,342 bronze solaris and about 489 silver solaris in your possession. please wait while the system calculates the total amount.] [...] alexander decided to wait, but only for a few moments later, the system displayed the total amount, leaving him speechless. "was i really foolish to expect something huge? why didn''t i just do the math myself?" he muttered with a wry smile. sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [solaris conversion rate to pesos: 23,200] [do you want to proceed with the deal?] "yes," alexander sighed, in disappointment. he had been hoping for millions, but reality had other plans. suddenly, a thought brightened his face, "wait a minute¡ªthis is their lair. that means there must be a vault where they keep more of these." his eyes glinted as he licked his lips and ventured further into the passage, curious about what lay ahead. after walking for a while, he found it¡ªa sight that made him grin and nearly drool. stacks of bronze coins were piled up, and among them were actual bills and a few glittering gold coins. thank you, you fools, he thought with satisfaction, grateful they hadn''t spent it all so he could claim it instead. "system calculate on how much is this" alexander said excitedly. [it was detected that there are around 178,287 bronze solaris, 86,786 silver solaris, 21,091 gold solaris, and 3,001 solaris bill. please wait while the system calculates the amount.] the system then began its wave of calculations as he waited, full of expectations. [done. the solaris conversion to pesos will earn you: 8,628,690 pesos.] seeing this amount, he couldn''t help but hiss. even though he had billions on him from converting the aether stones, having an additional 8 million was not a small amount for him. [status experience: 30,278/34,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 18 title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 33 strength: 125 speed: 95 agility: 80 dexterity: 65 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 85 charisma: 10 {max} earnings: 102,005 pesos (paused) balance: 12,879,058 pesos skills: {heart of stone[un], {berserker instinct}, {toxin nullifier} techniques: {serpents coil}, {vital draw technique} weapons: {infernal fury}] upon realizing that he had earned a substantial amount of money, he was overjoyed and chose to return, thereby concluding his mission which was unrelated to the system. Chapter 81 as he nodded his head with satisfaction, his affected heart no longer felt a little guilty due to the influence of money.alexander then left the cave filled with corpses and the stench of blood. as his figure disappeared, the place became quiet as night. suddenly someone appeared in thin air from the battlefield, a man not a human but so different than a human, the humanoid figure had red skin, black horns, and a long tail. the humanoid figure is clad in red pants secured by a yellow belt, boasting a muscular physique. its arms and hands are adorned with flame tattoos and end in sharp claws. the creature''s eyes are wide, conveying a sinister expression. he surveyed the place with a contemptuous smile, seemingly unfazed by the scene before him. to him, it was clearly normal he was undoubtedly an experienced individual. "alas, i was too late," he muttered, initially with a laugh. "i could have tasted it¡ªthe aroma was so enticing, so rich, so fragrant, ahhh!" as he finished, he scratched his face with his sharp claws, resembling a deranged patient. the nails, driven deep into his flesh, tore through his face, leaving a trail of crimson that spread like a spiderweb. blood dripped from the wounds, staining the nails a gruesome red, and the rest cascaded to the ground, forming a pool of crimson beneath him. his eyes were blazed red with black pupils, radiating fury as his prey slipped away. "why is he so fragrant? how can a human in a lower realm smell so good, why! why!!!" he shouted, the bloodlust spreading throughout the cave, causing the ground to shake and the wind to disperse, even extinguishing the torches'' flames. his bloodlust was thirty times greater than alexander''s, and his mere presence was enough to shatter mountains and crush any warrior who dared to face him. fortunately, alexander was already returning. suddenly, the birds and crows near the cave were startled and took flight in a panic, as if terrified by something. alexander, who was already a good distance away, stopped and looked back, his eyes narrowing in confusion. he just stopped and did not ponder it anymore as he then resumed his journey, assuming that some beast or creatures had frightened the birds. knowing that beast in the night are very active in hunting preys. inside the cave, as he subdued his bloodlust, the atmosphere began to stabilize, and the torchlight resumed its normal glow. what was astonishing was the speed of his healing; once he ceased scratching his face, the wounds closed so rapidly it was as if they had never existed, surpassing alexander''s recovery by a hundredfold. the humanoid''s face bore a gloomy expression, a clear sign of his foul mood. he could no longer smell it, he was baffled by the impossibility of not sensing him, even with his true sight. "don''t bother trying to locate him. i''ve concealed his presence so thoroughly that you won''t find him, even if you wish to," a nonchalant voice resonated throughout the cave. taken aback, the humanoid''s face shifted to one of wariness as he frantically scanned the area with anxious eyes. "who are you? come out! are you too afraid to confront me directly?" the humanoid man sneered disdainfully, unafraid of the hidden enemy, having only been startled initially. "me, afraid? a lowly demon like you dares to be so arrogant before me?" a calm voice responded as a portal, resembling a blue door, materialized from the void. suddenly a silhouette vaguely a humanoid, with a head, torso, and limbs. however, the edges of its form aren''t smooth. they appear jagged and pixelated, as if the digital data defining its shape is being corrupted. some areas seem to be dissolving into a haze of static, while others are momentarily solid before fading again. find your adventure at empire the humanoid figure, referred to as a demon, was startled by the entity''s appearance. as his foot touched the ground, it turned pixelated as though it was infected by a virus. yet, when he lifted his foot, which was continuously morphing in shape and color, the ground restored itself to its original state. the demon regained his composure and gazed at the entity fearlessly. "so, you''re actually a broken human¡ªor should you even be called human? nevertheless, since you''ve appeared before me, i will send you to the other world without pain," he declared, his smile broadening and his eyes emitting a crimson glow. the pixelated man simply stood there, gazing at him, devoid of a face¡ªno eyes, nose, or brows. yet, the demon felt the weight of his stare. "you seem quite confident in your strength," the entity remarked, despite lacking a mouth. the clarity of his voice was unmistakable, as if the absence of a mouth posed no issue at all, this leaves the demon puzzled about the means of the entity used to communicate, arousing his suspicion about its ability to use tricks. "or should i say, your recovery ability, am i correct?" the entity murmured. the demon, upon hearing this, was unfazed, having invaded every realm hundreds of thousands of years ago. their abilities are known across the realms, heck even children from the most desolate places know of their special powers. "are you scared? ha! even if you chop me into pieces and burn me to ashes, i will still live," he sneered with a face full of pride. this is why they have caused countless massacres over the centuries. even the mightiest forces of the middle realms cannot kill a lesser demon, their only options is by sealing it away. this proves that a single lower-class demon is sufficient to wreak havoc in the lower realms. the entity remained silent, merely gazing at him as he uttered words that left him shocked and speechless. "you''re quite arrogant and presumptuous for a mere slave, huh?" the entity whispered to him. initially taken aback, the demon quickly recovered his poise and responded, "indeed, we are slaves, for we are nothing but lower-class demons, and as such, we are regarded as servants by those above our ranks," he declared, his tone was indifferent. "you''re aware of what i''m referring to, so cease your pretense," the entity stated, his voice was serene as the sea. upon hearing this, the demon was so shocked that it was evident on his face. this information was such a taboo that they would rather die than speak of it; even under torture, they would not utter a word about their existence. for them, the beings behind them were entities to which their demon race could not hold a candle. their power was so unfathomable that their special abilities seemed even more insane than theirs. he was utterly shocked, greatly shocked. their existence had been forgotten and lost to time. how could this strange entity before him possibly know about them? "you¡ªhow do you know this? we demons have always been tight-lipped. even facing death, we wouldn''t speak of them. how do you know?" the demon stuttered, fear was evident in his gaze. one thought crossed his mind, yet he refused to believe it. it was impossible unless he was a celestial lord that had lived for millions of years. throughout the realm, only one person held this title that he knew of, and it was their emperor. the demon became afraid of the entity in front of him as he took a step back. "so, i was correct? they are still alive, huh? well, that''s hardly surprising, given that they are known as one of the most advanced lifeforms, second only to the race of high humans. it''s not really astonishing, considering it''s in their bloodline to live for millions of years, even without cultivating," the entity remarked, placing his glitching hand on his jaw, looking upward as if deep in thought. the demon, who was listening intently, remained skeptical. he was aware that the beings behind them were among the highest life forms, yet their true appearance he had never caught a glimpse of it, in his whole life. as for the ''high human,'' another higher life form, this was the first time he had ever encountered this term. "after learning all of this, you''re not going to spare my life, are you?" the demon asked, facing him directly. the arrogance once present had now been replaced by fear. the demon race had known fear only once before, and that was hundreds of thousand years ago, at the hands of that cultivator. since then, no other beings had caused them to flee merely at the sight of him. yet, the entity before him now seemed no different from that cultivator. "it''s good that you recognize your fate for targeting my chosen successor. allowing you to live and recount this encounter would be unwise. i am indifferent to your schemes of chaos across the realms, but since you''ve dared to threaten my host who has only just begun his journey, i shall erase your existence first," the entity declared, pointing his index finger at him. the man felt a suffocating pressure, so intense it seemed as though a planet was crushing him, eliciting a pained groan. he lay on the ground, which caved in with a cracking sound that reverberated through the earth. the demon''s eyes were wide with fear, every hair on its body standing on end. its mind screamed to run, to escape, but it was paralyzed. sea??h th§× n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the entity that had appeared before him was once like an ordinary person, but now it had transformed into a being so imposing that the demon couldn''t even raise its head to meet its gaze. "obliterate," the entity muttered, pointing at him. suddenly, he was enveloped in spectral blue lights. his arms and legs began to fade, as if he were being erased from existence. he was not happy; he was angry, he was filled with endless regret. if only he had hidden beneath the earth with his companions, he might have survived. he was utterly reluctant, yet he found himself only able to hum as the pressure increased. the spectral lights, slowly consuming him, had engulfed everything until only his face was visible. then, it too disintegrated into particles, leaving no evidence of the events that had unfolded. "this time, the realms will be thrown into chaos," the entity muttered, a hint of amusement in its voice. it took a step back, disappearing into the swirling portal that had materialized from thin air. "another good movie to watch, if i''m right," it added, its voice fading into the void as the portal closed behind it. as he retreated, the door closed slowly, engulfing his figure entirely, as if he had never been there. Chapter 82 Going Back! [i''ve combined what would have been two chapters into one, as the chapters detailing his initial adventure were quite lengthy. i hope you enjoy it, dear readers!]after traveling just a few minutes, alexander had already arrived at the sight of the village. he did not know the happenings, nor did he have any other idea what happened when he left. in the dead of night, with only the howling wind that is very much audible, he entered his current home. once inside, the living room was deserted. he proceeded to his room, having already removed his armor beforehand. even though he really loved the designs and the comfort it gave, he couldn''t just sleep with it on; it would make him sweat since it was a foolproof suite. as he opened the door, he was surprised that there was someone there. it was none other than aeloria, who was lying straight in the bed with her eyes closed. alexander, seeing this, just smiled. he then walked towards her, seeing her sleeping face that was filled with innocence and beauty. "she''s still charming even if she''s sleeping," alexander muttered in a low voice, as he lowered his legs and caressed her face with her fingers. he was really mesmerized by this scene, but then shook his head since what he was doing was not right. he then stood up and decided to just sleep outside or even cultivate. since cultivating can be more refreshing than sleeping, as he opened the door, aeloria, who was in the bed, woke up and sat up in the bed, looking at him intently. "alex, you''re back. where are you going?" aeloria spoke, looking at his drifting back. it was a question, if she really was asleep or just pretending. alexander thought that she must have woken up because of him being so noisy, and even touching her face in the process. "i will be sleeping outside. sorry for waking you up," he said, looking back to her. aeloria, hearing this, did not agree with it, as she stood up and pulled his hand, pulling him towards the bed. "isn''t this your room? why would you sleep outside? this is not right," she said, her face serious. alexander was stunned by her sudden change. it was really different from her usual self. this made him a little baffled as his consciousness came back, as they arrived on the bed. "let''s sleep!" aeloria spoke, as she pushed alexander on the bed forcefully, making him surprised. she became so dominant all of a sudden, totally different from her gentle and caring side. alexander was about to ask what the problem was, but he was shocked. his mouth was closed forcefully by soft lips, making him terrified. why the sudden kiss? being kissed so aggressively, he could not control himself anymore as he fought back. he held her in the waist, pulling her close, as the two of them sat in the bed. aeloria sat on his lap, with her two hands on his cheeks. alexander had seen a lot of movies with these kissing scenes, so he decided to insert his tongue in her mouth. aeloria was petrified, but decided to just let alexander do what he wanted. her breathing became rigid and turbulent as her cheeks began to turn red. her eyes turned misty and moist. after a few minutes of sharing emotions with each other, alexander took back his lips. feeling her heavy breathing, he decided to stop from that. aeloria, seeing her chance to breathe, she curled her hands around his neck, looking at him seductively. she felt so hot in her lips that there was even some saliva dripping slowly, making her look like a baby. alexander couldn''t help but chuckle. hearing this, she was so embarrassed as she looked at him in the eye, "why are you laughing?" she said, her eyes narrowing like a mad woman, but her voice was soft and gentle. not knowing if she was really mad or shy. but she did not know that her current expression right now was so hot and sexy from alexander''s point of view. aeloria opened her mouth to speak, but alexander leaned in close, pressing his lips gently against her neck. whatever words she had were lost as she tilted her head back, closing her eyes and biting her lip, a quiet gasp escaping her. alexander trailed his kisses along her delicate neck, drawing a soft moan from aeloria as she shivered in his arms, her breaths quickening. he grazed her skin with his teeth, making her hum with delight. she pressed a finger to her lips, as her eyes fluttering closed as he shifted to gently lick the same spot, leaving a faint mark on her skin. his touch sent a thrill through her, and she instinctively leaned closer. feeling her soft breast against his chest and the tension between them intensify, as alexander''s heart pounded. aeloria''s gentle movements pressed her closer, creating a warmth that left him breathless. his hard like rod was between her garden creating a colliding sensation where aeloria began to bend her waist from side to side rubbing it with pleasure, making him wide awake. enjoy more content from empire he decided to stop, as he pulled back, drawing a steadying breath. he knew if they continued, things might escalate. they hadn''t yet confirmed their relationship, and he felt it would be wrong to go further without a deeper commitment between them. his mind warned him as he took a deep breath to clear those impure thoughts. he stopped and looked at her as he put his hand on her cheeks, which were so red like they were burning. aeloria just let him while glancing at his face, which was calm as the lake as he looked at her. aeloria''s heart ached as doubt crept in. she worried that her eagerness had made alexander see her as cheap woman, unworthy of respect. that is when fear and insecurity welled up in her eyes, and tears began to form. alexander noticed the change immediately, and was stunned by the sudden shift in her mood. panic rose within him, since he had no idea what had caused this. "aeloria, what''s wrong? why are you acting like this?" he asked gently, his tone soft and caring. "look at you; you''re making me worry." he said. hearing his warm words, aeloria''s emotions overflowed. she buried her face against his chest, wrapping her arms around him tightly as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. she held back her sobs to avoid waking anyone else in the house. alexander, meanwhile, was at a loss, he was caught in a dilemma as he tried to understand her sudden distress. "aiyaa, come on, stop crying. you don''t want to look like a baby, do you?" alexander teased gently, stroking her hair. aeloria continued to sob quietly in his arms. after a few minutes of his comforting embrace, she stepped back, her expression was still clouded with sadness. "isn''t it because¡­ you''re leaving us? and we might never see each other again?" she asked, her gaze downcast. realizing what had been troubling her and why the sudden change, alexander couldn''t help but chuckle softly. he reached out and pinched her cheeks, making her blush, though she kept her gaze fixed on him. "i didn''t get to finish explaining earlier," he said with a reassuring smile. "i am leaving, but if there''s a chance¡­ i''d love to come back." though he couldn''t promise anything certain, he meant every word. she listened, her heart sinking but her resolve steady as she took in his words, waiting to hear the rest. "and if you want to come with me, i''d be more than happy to bring you both. my homeland is safe, without any dangers just like your place, so you''d be well-protected over their. but i won''t pressure you. just know that coming back here might not be impossible¡ª but it only had a slim chance that you''d ever see this village again," he finished, watching as aeloria absorbed his words. after a moment, she sighed in relief, feeling warmth at the thought that he wanted her and anya to come with him. but she hadn''t decided yet; she would need to talk to anya first. if anya chose not to go, she knew that she has to decline alexander''s offer, no matter how much it hurt her or even if she were to regret it in the future. she had made a promise to anya''s mother to protect her, to raise her with love and guide her into becoming a kind, fulfilled young woman. that commitment lay deeply rooted in her heart, and she couldn''t abandon it, even if it meant saying goodbye to alexander. "don''t worry; you have time to think it over. we still have two days so take your time," alexander said softly. "let''s get some sleep¡ªyou look so exhausted." after that, he started to stand, but aeloria instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him like a koala, her arms encircling his neck. smiling, alexander gently placed her down on the bed, where she finally relaxed her grip and settled beside him. "you should rest," he whispered, lying down next to her. as they settled together, alexander wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close. for the first time that night, he let his thoughts quiet, content to simply be there with her, no other intentions in mind. aeloria had imagined countless scenarios in her mind when alexander held her close, but as time passed and he remained still, her eyelids grew heavy, and she eventually drifted into a peaceful sleep. when morning came, the two rose from bed, and aeloria found a quiet moment to speak with anya. she gently asked if anya wanted to follow her big brother alex. she didn''t try to sway her, wanting to hear anya''s true feelings. anya''s face fell at the news. the thought of her brother leaving for good weighed heavily on her, and the idea of following him felt bittersweet. if she chose to go, she would have little chance of seeing grandma may and the villagers she loved again. lost in thought, anya looked down, struggling with the decision. grandma may, who had come into the room and overheard the conversation, sighed knowingly. she had sensed that this day would come, though that didn''t make it any easier. grandma may walked over to anya, gently patting her head, "anya, leaving the village could be a good thing for you and your sister. you know how dangerous it is here, don''t you? do you really want to risk something bad happening to either of you?" she asked softly. anya hearing this just lowered her head, her big round eyes are filling with tears as she slowly shook her head. "i know you love this village," grandma may continued, her voice gentle but firm. "this is your home, your birthplace. but sometimes, moving on leads to a brighter future. if you go with your big brother alex, you won''t have to worry about any danger to befall upon you or even hunger." grandma may who was saying this could feel her own heart heavy with sadness and reluctance, but she steeled herself. any sign of hesitation on her part would only make anya''s choice harder, and she wanted both aeloria and anya to have a life filled with safety and opportunity, even if it meant leaving the village behind. "anya, didn''t your big sister say that it''s not really impossible to visit back someday? so don''t give up hope. wait for the right moment, and you can come see us whenever you can. this village will always be your home," grandma may said with a warm smile. s§×ar?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. anya, then wipe away her forming tears, as she nodded with a bright smile, "alright, grandma may, i''ll go with big brother alex. it''s for my own good, and for my big sister too," she said, her voice filled with determination. "that''s my good girl," grandma may said, pinching her cheek lovingly. from the side, aeloria watched the exchange, feeling a deep gratitude toward grandma may. no matter how reluctant she was to leave the old woman, who had become like a second mother to her, she knew this was the best decision for all of them. alexander had no idea what transpired while he was out with nendo discussing plans for a feast. though he initially declined, nendo was insistent, and in the end, alexander agreed. during their conversation, nendo asked about the events of the previous night. alexander recounted what happened, though he kept some details to himself. hearing this, nendo''s tension seemed to ease, and the burden he carried gradually lifted. after spending some time sharing stories and laughing like brothers, alexander returned home. upon hearing that aeloria and anya had agreed to follow him, he let out a relieved sigh. he knew that this world was far too dangerous for the two of them, but if they were in his care, with the laws and structure of his world, they would be safe. "young alex, please don''t treat my two daughters badly," grandma may said, her voice filled with concern. "take care of them for me, will you? i''ve always considered them my family." hearing this, aeloria and anya couldn''t hold back their tears anymore as they embraced grandma may. alexander smiled at the heartfelt scene and, in that moment, made a vow filled with an unbreakable promise. "i promise, from the depths of my heart as the heavens as my witness, if i break this promise, i will be struck by lightning as my punishment." just as the words left his mouth, a rumble of thunder echoed through the otherwise serene village, despite the bright sun. the sound of lightning made them all pause for a moment, but life continued on as usual, as if the heavens themselves had confirmed his vow. grandma may, hearing his promise, let out a relieved sigh. the next day, the banquet began. there was an abundance of food, thanks to the beasts alexander had slain. the village stockpile was filled for the next 5 to 6 months. the villagers celebrated alexander''s departure and the farewell to both aeloria and anya. it was a joyous occasion, filled with laughter, food, and warm memories. but, as with all good things, the celebration eventually came to an end. night fell, and with it, the last moments of their time together slipped away. when morning arrived, it marked the beginning of a new chapter for all of them. [you will be transported back in 5 minutes. please be prepared.] the system prompted in his mind as the room grew quiet, filled with the emotions of impending separation. grandma may, though heartbroken, smiled softly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "take care of them, alex. i know you''ll make sure they''re safe and happy." her voice trembled, but she remained strong, understanding that this was for their future. aeloria and anya stepped back from the embrace, their eyes still wet with tears. anya wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to hold back the sobs, while aeloria gave one last lingering look at the woman who had been like a mother to her. "goodbye, grandma may," aeloria said softly, her voice breaking with emotion. "thank you for everything." anya also spoke, "goodbye, grandma may. little anya will miss you." "take care, dear girls," grandma may replied, her voice steady, though her heart was breaking. "may you both find happiness and safety." nendo stood back, observing the exchange with quiet understanding. he then clasped alexander''s shoulder one last time. "look after them, alex. this village will always be grateful for what you''ve done." alexander nodded, his expression serious yet soft. "i will. thank you, nendo." the moment lingered, but the pressure of time was mounting. the system''s prompt sounded again, reminding him of what was to come. [you will be transported back in 3 minutes. please be prepared.] "alright, it''s time," alexander said, his voice calm but carrying an underlying emotion. he gently took aeloria and anya''s hands, squeezing them both reassuringly. "remember, this isn''t goodbye forever. we''ll be back." he turned inwardly, addressing the system, "system, use my dimensional passport so aeloria and anya can follow me back to my world." [roger, host] [one-time use item activated. target: aeloria and anya.] [notice: 1 minute remaining to be teleported.] as the system''s voice echoed in his mind, alexander looked at the two girls, holding their hands tightly. "thank you for everything," he said softly. "we''ll leave now." with the final countdown ticking away, a spectral blue light enveloped the three of them. in an instant, they vanished, leaving behind the village and the world they had known. Chapter 83 as they vanished from that world, the three of them materialized in the large room where alexander had first teleported for his mission."we''re here," alexander muttered to the two as he released their hands. hearing his words, the two opened their eyes, unaware of the tricks alexander had used to make them disappear from sight as if it was a teleportation. since aeloria knew he was a warrior, perhaps it was normal for them to use such means for transportation. as the two opened their eyes, they were astounded by the luxury and grandeur before them. "big brother alex, is this your home?" anya whispered in awe upon seeing the large bed. the expansive room was adorned with designs and furniture unlike anything they had seen before. her downhearted expression, was evident earlier when she departed, and now it replaced by a look of amusement. "cheering up a child is surprisingly simple," he murmured to himself, with a blank face. "yes, this is my room. i''ll show you to your own personal room and that will be your bedroom, as it''s not proper for you and your big sister to share mine," alexander said, noting aeloria''s silent yet amazed expression. alexander then opened the large door leading out of his room as they walked through the hallway. s§×arch* the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "wow, big brother alex, your home is like a kingdom; it''s so big and wide," anya exclaimed, looking left and right at the paintings, vases, and other home decor she had never seen before. "anya, don''t call me alex, my real name is alexander. sorry for lying about it this whole time," he said as he patted her head. anya just giggled and looked at him with a bright smile, "that''s okay, big brother alexander, but i''ve already gotten used to calling you alex. so, i''ll just stick to calling you big brother alex," she replied. aeloria, who was observing from the side, looked at alexander and anya as she mumbled, "so that''s not his real name. well, the name isn''t really that far from his real name." after walking for a while, they arrived at a room somewhat distant from his own. unlike his, which was separate from the others, this room was close to the others. as alexander opened the door, the three of them entered. "this will be your room," he announced to the two who was full of anticipation. hearing this, anya was excited. she then ran towards the bed, climbing up at the fluffy and soft cushion of the foam, as she began to jump, clearly enjoying it. "big sister, look! this bed is so soft. it''s so different from ours," anya said excitedly, looking at her sister and inviting her to join. seeing her actions, aeloria panicked. she hurriedly carried anya down and gently placed her on the floor. "anya, be careful. this bed seems too expensive. don''t break it by jumping," she reprimanded her with a serious tone. anya who was very happy just now, was feeling sad from the reprimand, as she looked down. seeing this, aeloria''s heart melted, and she hugged her to apologize from the sudden outburst. aeloria could see that this room¡ªno, this home¡ªwas expensive, just from the decorations alone was something she could not afford. even the big hallway seemed infinite from their earlier walk. she knew that if anya or she broke something, they would have to pay some big amounts of money. alexander, seeing this, just shook his head and walked towards the two. "look, this is my place. let anya enjoy her first day and if she ever breaks something, i''ll just buy a new one," he said to aeloria, to let the child go. feeling skeptical, aeloria watched as alexander placed his hands on her cheeks, causing her to blush with shyness. alexander was taken aback by his hand, which seemed to move with a will of its own. he then centered himself, recalling his purpose from doing that, no i meant his hands from doing that. "look, aeloria, i know this is your first time seeing something so different, but trust me, if i can buy it in the first place, i can just buy another one. so let anya go wild and enjoy her first day," he said softly. after a moment, aeloria nodded and released anya''s hand. anya, who had been sad after being reprimanded, was overjoyed at her brother''s support as she smiled brightly. "thank you very much, big brother, hehe," anya giggled as she climbed back onto the bed, jumping up and down with glee. aeloria, still not fully trusting alexander, was horrified. seeing that aeloria was about to jump again, alexander quickly pulled aeloria close, surprising her. her hand landed on his broad chest as their bodies were in close proximity. "look, if you want to do it again, i''ll spank you," he threatened, their faces just inches apart. hearing the inappropriate words, aeloria stopped and looked at anya, who was enjoying her life. aeloria couldn''t help but lean her head against alexander feeling safe, secure and warm. the two was looking at anya, who is feeling more alive than ever before. "my decision is not wrong," he muttered inwardly, feeling relieved. he had been a little worried about their reaction to the place, but luckily, that didn''t seem to be the case. he just needed to give them more time to adapt to the modern era. "big brother, are there any more fun places to see?" anya asked, her face flushed and her skin damp with sweat as she jumped down from the bed. seeing this, aeloria leaned away from alexander and reached over to gently wipe anya''s brow. watching the two of them, alexander was suddenly reminded of their tattered clothes, which looked as if they were made for slaves. he walked over to the nearest wardrobe and pulled it open. inside, he found rows of neatly folded pajamas¡ªfor boys and girls, even children''s styles¡ªalong with undergarments for both genders. he couldn''t help but sigh at the abundancy of clothes. "a billion is a billion," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. he selected two sets of pajamas, one for aeloria and one for anya, he then walked back over to where they sat on the bed. "here are your clothes, you can wear these for the night," alexander said, handing the sets to aeloria and anya. even though they''d only left his world that morning, thanks to the system''s time freeze, it was still night here. hearing alexander''s words, the two glanced out the window, surprised to find the sky dark. aeloria couldn''t help but wonder how night had come so quickly, but she kept her thoughts to herself, focusing on the clothing alexander had placed on the bed. anya immediately grabbed hers, her eyes lighting up at the designs¡ªa soft pink fabric dotted with little dolls and roses. hugging the pajamas, she rubbed the soft material against her cheek, clearly delighted by the comfort. aeloria, meanwhile, inspected her set with curiosity. she held it up, examining the fabric and the cut, looking rather puzzled as she stretched it between her hands. "alex¡­ what is this?" she asked, using his alias name as she''d gotten used to calling it. her tone was a mix of curiosity and confusion. alexander just looked at her, momentarily taken aback by her unfamiliarity with something so basic. "do they not have underwear in their world?" he mumbled inwardly, feeling a mix of shock and amusement. "don''t tell me... she wasn''t wearing anything under that?" alexander thought, his brain practically short-circuiting. he found his gaze involuntarily drawn downward, as if he could somehow see through her clothes to confirm his suspicion. noticing his intense stare, aeloria looked down, only to realize exactly where his gaze had landed. she felt a sudden wave of heat rising to her cheeks, a mixture of both shyness and embarrassment overcoming her. caught red-handed, alexander quickly coughed and turned his head, trying to regain his composure. "uh¡­ this is called underwear," he explained, coughing awkwardly again. "it''s¡­ for women. you wear it to, uh, cover your private parts." he finished your next chapter is on empire aeloria stared at the garment in her hand and was stunned. realizing its purpose, her face flushed bright red as she lowered it, holding it just below her navel with her gaze fixed downward. she couldn''t bring herself to look at alexander, who had closed his eyes in embarrassment. "are you¡­ not wearing any underwear right now?" the question slipped out before alexander could stop himself, his intrusive thoughts winning over his self-control. aeloria''s face turned an even deeper shade of red as she lowered her head, embarrassed. "no¡­ i just, well, used some cloth to cover," she replied softly, glancing anywhere but at him, no!. they stood there in thick, awkward silence, each trying to recover from the embarrassment. aeloria couldn''t help but think, "no wonder he was staring so intently... how embarrassing!" trying to diffuse the tension, alexander cleared his throat and continued in a casual tone, "actually, it''s pretty normal for women to wear these. i even have similar ones, but with, uh¡­ different designs." he paused, then reached back into the wardrobe, grabbing a towel. "here, hold this," he said, handing it to aeloria. "come on, i''ll show you to the bathroom." aeloria and anya both nodded, following alexander as he led them across the room to a private bathroom. when he opened the door, aeloria''s eyes widened slightly. the bathroom was luxurious¡ªcomplete with a tub, a small spa area, and a spacious shower to one side. "this is¡­ a bathhouse?" aeloria asked, marveling at the setup. "sort of," alexander replied, feeling a bit proud to show them something so grand. "you can use anything you like. so you can take your time to relax." "but first, let me show you how to use everything," alexander began, leading aeloria and anya to the shower. "this is the shower. you just turn this knob, and the water comes out," he explained, twisting it to demonstrate. after that water began to streamed down immediately, and the two watched in amazement, their eyes widening as though it were magic. "to turn it off, you just turn it back, counterclockwise," he continued, showing them how to stop the water. "there''s also a button here. if you press this ''hot'' option, the water will be warm. there''s also a ''cold'' and a ''normal'' setting if you''d rather have cooler water." moving to the toilet, alexander pointed to a small button, "this is the toilet. after you use it, you press this button, and it will automatically flush. and over here," he pointed to the tub, "is the bath. you can fill it with warm water and just relax here if you want." he went over the essentials, showing them how to use the soap, shampoo, and scrub. he wanted to make sure they understood everything so that, if he wasn''t around, they''d be able to take care of themselves and use the facilities comfortably. "alright," he said at last, "you can set your clothes and towels on the rack over there. go ahead, take a shower and change. i''ll wait outside the bedroom." with a final nod, he left them to get comfortable. returning to the bed, alexander sat down and opened his system interface. there was a lot to check, like his income calculations, newly unlocked functions, and unclaimed money from the money generator. Chapter 84 "system, show me what i have earned during my adventure," alexander called.a holographic panel appeared, displaying the results. he looked at it intently. [in the generated money, from your earnings generator the total accumulation for 18 days, 5 hours, and 3 minutes, you have earned: 1,746,055 pesos] [for the stock market, after being inactive for 18 days, 5 hours, and 4 minutes, you have earned nothing since you haven''t invested yet] hearing this, he couldn''t help but feel downcast, thinking about how much more he could have earned if he hadn''t been inactive for about 18 days. "system, show me the passive investment," alexander commanded. [passive investment: stock market: invest any amount to earn 1% per hour passively. stock market earnings {level 1}: increased the daily return by 1% will cost around 10,000,000 pesos. real estate: investing: 100,000 pesos to earn a daily return of about 5%. real estate earnings (level 1): increasing the daily return by 2% will cost approximately 1,000,000 pesos. real estate investment increase {level 1}: raising the maximum investment to 200,000 pesos would cost 500,000 pesos. ] alexander paused for a bit to run some quick calculations based on his current balance of [14,625,113 pesos] "if i put 14 million pesos into the stock market with a 1% return, that''s about [140,000 pesos] per day," he calculated, pleased with the passive income potential. he considered boosting the daily return rate by upgrade it to 10 million pesos, "if i do that, the remaining [4,625,113 pesos] to be invested. i''d be earning at around [92,502 pesos] daily from the remaining amount, which isn''t bad at all," he thought, nodding in satisfaction. "that means over 1, with a 1% daily return, i''d bring in around [3,360,000 pesos]. and at 2%, that figure would double," he mused, a small smile spreading across his face. turning his attention to real estate, alexander thought aloud, "if i invest 100,000 pesos in real estate, my daily return is just [5,000 pesos]¡ªnot exactly impressive." he frowned, unimpressed by the smaller income this thing offers, especially compared to the stock market potential. the earnings generator remained a reliable source of income, but alexander was increasingly drawn to the stock market''s faster growth potential. the real estate investments, even with a 2% upgrade, would only yield about [10,000 pesos] daily. a small amount compared to what he could achieve with stocks. and upgrading real estate increased returns but it would cost him around half a million pesos just to double the current rate, which felt hardly worth the steep price. "so let''s stick with the highest income" he uttered. satisfied with his rough plan, he decided to explore the system''s other features. redirecting the panel, he opened up the ''expedition mode''. a newer function the system had added. according to the description, it allowed him to earn unique rewards by sending his miniature self for expeditions, potentially opening another source of income or rare items. [expedition mode description: you have unlocked the expedition mode. in this mode, you can send your miniature self on expeditions to gather resources, earn money, and discover rare items while you''re away. these expeditions will continue to generate rewards over time, allowing you to progress even when you are not actively playing. [note: upgrading the expedition mode will increase the time needed to claim the rewards.] [expedition mode {level 1}: to upgrade expedition mode to the next level, it will cost: 100,000,000,000 pesos.] instructions: you can make money overtime, but you''ll have to invest an amount that is not lower or higher than 1 million pesos. potential rewards: a 30-50% return on investment, a 50% chance to receive a lower grade item, and a 10% chance for a middle grade item. additionally, boost items are available with a 10% probability. expedition time: 1 day.] as alexander read through the instructions for the, ''expedition mode'', his attention was briefly drawn to a cartoonish depiction of his miniature self¡ªwalking like a gentleman, with a briefcase in hand, as black shades perched on his face. the design was undeniably playful, almost comical, and for a moment, he couldn''t help but smile at this scene. however, when he looked at the cost to upgrade the mode, his smile faded. the price was an awe-aspiring [100 billion pesos] a sum that would drain his balance in an instant. "if i decide to upgrade this, i''d go broke in no time," he muttered to himself. he then proceeded from powering up the expedition mode, "system, start the expedition mode," he commanded. the system immediately complied, and he watched as his balance dropped to [13,625,113 pesos] after a moment, the panel closed, and he saw his miniature self begin its journey in the forest, walking in a repetitive cycle with no real progress. the sight felt almost absurd, and alexander quickly decided to close the tab. turning his attention back to the bigger picture, he commanded, "system, invest all of my remaining money in the stock market." he knew that investing all his remaining money in the stock market was the best move for growing his wealth, and now, he waited for the confirmation. [roger that, host. {-13,625,113 pesos}. remaining balance: {0}] alexander nodded, glancing at the countdown for the expedition mode, watching the time continue to tick down. his focus shifted to the door as he heard it creak open. aeloria stood there, giving off a different vibe, dressed in simple, loose pajamas that were a world apart from the rugged appearance she''d had just moments ago. the comfortable fabric fell delicately over her frame, softening her somewhat fierce allure into something gentler, even innocent. her cat-like eyes, usually sharp and alert, now carried a warm, curious sparkle as she stepped into the room, perhaps slightly self-conscious under his lingering stare. the pajamas somehow added a layer of softness to her presence, making her seem like a young woman from a simpler, quieter life. alexander couldn''t deny the effect. this rare glimpse of aeloria in casual clothing made her beauty seem different, it held his attention in a way that felt entirely new. realizing he had been staring, he cleared his throat and managed to speak, his voice softer than usual, "that¡­ that suits you." aeloria blinked, taken aback by his tone, but a slight smile crept onto her face, she does not why but hearing his compliment made his heart bloomed. "big brother alex, that shower is really comfortable! anya feels so cozy, and these clothes... they''re so fluffy and cute!" anya exclaimed as she ran towards him, her wet hair dripping slightly. alexander couldn''t help but smile as he looked at her. the pajamas, small and perfectly fitting, made her look like a little doll. he reached down and lifted her by the waist, easily raising her off the ground. anya giggled, her laughter was light and carefree, "big brother alex, you''re tickling anya!" she said as she giggles, the gecko then popped up on her head so suddenly. alexander froze for a moment, his eyes widening as he noticed the little gecko. he hadn''t seen it when they left earlier. but then, he shook his head, telling himself he must have missed it due to the emotional atmosphere at that time. "hehe, it''s because you''re so cute that big brother can''t help but hold you," alexander said with a grin, his voice softening as he enjoyed the innocent moment. enjoy exclusive chapters from empire anya''s giggles filled the room, her warmth and energy bringing a lightness to the atmosphere. aeloria stood to the side, a warm smile on her face as she watched the scene unfold. her heart swelled with affection as she observed the bond between alexander and anya. "my decision is not wrong," she thought to herself, feeling content as her eyes fluttered at the sight of the two of them. for a moment, it felt like they were a family, a sense of peace settling in the air. as alexander spun anya around, the little girl giggled and then suddenly stopped, as her stomach started growling. "big brother alex, anya is so hungry," she said, looking up at him with big, puppy-dog eyes. alexander chuckled softly and gently set her down, "alright then, follow me downstairs. you too, aeloria. that way, you won''t get lost," he said, motioning for aeloria to follow. they then made their way out of the room, walking down the long hallway. s~ea??h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. as they passed several rooms, aeloria couldn''t help but feel a sense of wonder. finally, she spoke up, a question on her mind. "alex, are you the only one who lives here?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion as she trailed behind, her eyes taking in the grandiosity of the house. "your house is so big, yet there''s no one else around." the house was enormous, filled with countless rooms, yet there was no person. no one else but alexander and the of them seemed to occupy the place. as they continued down the hall, alexander gave a soft smile and responded to aeloria''s question. "actually, i''ve just bought this house, so i''m the only one living here. it''s my private manor, and i don''t hire anyone to work here since i don''t stay here all the time," he explained casually, continuing their walk. aeloria nodded thoughtfully, processing his words. as they approached the grand staircase, both she and anya were left in awe once again. the scale of the place was immense, and they hadn''t realized just how high up they were. anya, her gaze upward, made a playful hand motion, as if trying to touch the massive chandelier that hung gracefully from the ceiling. "big brother alex, your house is really big. anya is really satisfied," she said, puffing her cheeks in a way that made her look even more adorable. alexander, taken aback for a moment by the pure innocence in her voice, couldn''t help but laugh. he reached out, shaking anya''s wet hair playfully. she then closed her eyes in enjoyment, giggling as droplets of water flew from her hair. "hehe, then what will happen if you''re not satisfied?" alexander teased with a smile, looking at the little girl with fondness. "nothing, big brother," anya replied brightly, her smile as wide as ever, unbothered and happy in the moment. as they descended the grand staircase and made their way toward the expansive kitchen, both aeloria and anya looked around in awe, their expressions a mix of confusion and curiosity. the kitchen was like nothing they had ever seen, with appliances and features that felt completely foreign to them. seeing their bewildered faces, alexander couldn''t help but feel a bit amused. he began his explanation, pointing out various items. "this is the dishwasher, it washes the dishes for you," he said, before moving on to the next item. "and here we have the sink, where you wash your hands or clean things. this is the oven, where you cook food, and this is the refrigerator, it keeps food fresh." he pointed toward the stove. "and this stove can light up with fire when turned on." aeloria and anya stood there, eyes wide, seemingly in disbelief. everything alexander pointed out seemed so advanced and magical to the two. once he was finished with the brief tour, alexander moved toward one of the drawers. he opened it to reveal a mountain of cup noodles¡ªso many, in fact, that it seemed to stretch on endlessly. "10 billion is 10 billion," alexander muttered to himself, inspecting the drawer. it was filled to the brim with different varieties of cup noodles. he opened another drawer, as more cup noodles are in sight. and another, still more. if there were an apocalypse, alexander thought, that it would take months'' worth of food stocked up. he chuckled softly to himself, imagining the absurdity of it. "i guess i''ll never run out of food," he murmured. alexander filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove, waiting for it to come to a boil. after a few minutes, the water was ready. he opened the three cups of noodles and carefully poured the boiling water into each one. he glanced over at the refrigerator, which was empty. he would need to go grocery shopping tomorrow to stock up on some essentials, like vegetables, to be healthy since cup noodles every day is not good. once the noodles were ready, he set the cups on a wide dining table where aeloria and anya were sitting. "here, eat up. but be careful, it''s hot," alexander warned as he placed the spoon and fork beside the cups. aeloria, being the attentive one, didn''t start eating right away. instead, she leaned over to anya and gently blew on the surface of her noodles, careful not to let her little one burn herself. it was a motherly gesture that made alexander pause for a moment, watching the soft, caring side of aeloria shine through. as she blew on the noodles, aeloria couldn''t help but inhale the delicious aroma wafting up from the steaming cups. the scent made her stomach growl, and she couldn''t suppress the saliva that gathered in her mouth. it smelled so inviting, and despite the simple nature of the meal, it felt like a legendary meal. Chapter 85 aeloria carefully continuing to blow on the noodles, ensuring the broth was cool enough for anya.after a few moments, she gently scooped up some of the flavorful liquid and brought it close to anya''s mouth. s~ea??h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. anya eagerly took a sip, her eyes immediately lighting up in surprise. her face brightened with joy, and her eyes widened in amazement. it was her first time tasting cup noodles, and the rich, savory flavor was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. continue your adventure with empire growing up with simple, often bland food, anya had never encountered such an explosion of taste. the warmth of the broth, combined with the bold, comforting flavor, was a delightful surprise. she giggled with joy, savoring each sip as if it were a precious treasure. "it''s so yummy!" she exclaimed, with eyes wide. with a wide smile, anya reached for the cup, eager for more of this magical taste. her small hand stretched out, her expression pleading in the most adorable way. aeloria, seeing her enthusiasm, was taken aback for a moment. the little girl''s innocent desire for more was a sight that caught her off guard. "is it really that good?" aeloria asked, curiosity was vivid in her voice as she watched anya enjoy the noodles. she wondered what the flavor was like, but didn''t dwell on it for too long. she scooped another spoonful of the flavorful broth, blowing gently on it to cool it down, before feeding it to anya. as the noodles cooled, anya eagerly took the spoon, savoring each bite with a wide smile, her joy was very contagious. aeloria, noticing the warmth fading, finally took a sip of her own cup. it was still a bit hot, but with just a few gentle blows from her lips, the temperature became just right. as she tasted the broth, her eyes widened in surprise, mirroring anya''s earlier expression. the rich, savory flavor was unlike anything she had ever experienced. her face lit up with delight, and a smile spread across her lips. "it''s incredible!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with fascination. the warmth of the broth, combined with the explosion of flavors, made her feel comforted and joyful, like she had stumbled upon a hidden treasure. it was a simple yet extraordinary meal, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow down as she relished the experience. alexander watched the two of them with a fond smile. their reactions were completely understandable, given how simple and limited the food they were used to. for them, cup noodles were a whole new world of taste, full of rich, savory flavors and spices. he took another sip of his own cup, savoring the familiar warmth and taste it provided. he still remembered her cooking. although it was his first time tasting it, he could say that it was good. however, coming from a more advanced world with a wide variety of cooking styles, he knew that it couldn''t quite compare to the culinary masterpieces he was used to. "drink it slowly, and if you want more, just ask," alexander said, finishing his sip as he prepared for a second round. anya, with her empty cup already in hand, looked up at him with big, expectant eyes. "big brother, anya wants to eat the cup noodles again," she said, holding up the cup with a hopeful smile. "that fast!" he exclaimed in mild surprise. he then stood up, walking toward the counter to grab another cup of noodles. after filling it with hot water, he made sure it was properly prepared before handing it back to her. "here you go," he said, his tone amused, as he watched her eagerly take the cup. "eat slowly, it''s hot. what about you, aeloria? do you want more?" alexander asked her. aeloria, feeling shy, nodded with her head down. her cup was already empty, but she was too embarrassed to ask for more. hearing his inquiry, she sighed in relief. alexander, puzzled by her reaction, decided to prepare another cup. he filled it with hot water and passed it to her. "here, wait for a while until it''s fully cooked," he instructed. aeloria just nod her head. after a few moments, she began to savor the familiar yet different taste, her tongue exploring the new flavors as she made a sumptuous expression. as they finished their meal, anya lay back in her chair with a satisfied expression. "big brother alex, anya cannot handle it anymore. anya is full, my stomach is about to explode," anya said, looking at him with some noodles on her cheeks. alexander couldn''t help but find this child adorable every time. he walked towards her and wiped her cheeks. "next time, eat slowly and don''t eat too much, or you will become fat," alexander said, pinching her soft nose. hearing his words, aeloria froze for a moment and touched her slightly rounded belly. "does alex hate fat women?" she asked, feeling a sense of crisis. gaining weight back in the village was hard since they had to save lots of food due to scarcity. but because of alexander''s care, providing food for weeks, their malnourished selves had become normal. aeloria pinched the fabric of her clothes and felt the softness of her belly. "am i turning fat?" she wondered, feeling conflicted. alexander, unaware of the impact his words had on aeloria, continued, "also, my little baby, being fat or chubby is not really that bad. but since being fat is not good for your health, you have to maintain a proper diet to stay healthy, just like your big brother alex," he said, pointing at himself with pride. "yes, yes, big brother is awesome. anya worships you greatly," anya said, looking at him with idolization. aeloria, hearing his words, sighed in relief but still felt the need to eat less or exercise properly to maintain her figure. she knew how good and charming her figure was, so she had to take care of it. "alright, now that''s done, let''s go watch some tv," alexander said, standing up and looking at the two who were done now. hearing this, the two were confused, again. another unfamiliar term, or you could say, a new word was being imprinted in their minds. seeing their confused expressions, alexander just chuckled and led them to the luxurious living room where a big flat-screen tv was present. it was accompanied by a sound system to provide high-quality entertainment. alexander then motioned for the two to sit on the couch. anya sat in the center while aeloria sat on the side, wondering what kind of magical thing he was going to show this time. "big brother, where is the tv? what does it do?" anya asked, pressing her lap and looking at him excitedly. alexander just smiled, pointing at the tv in front of them, which was turned off. aeloria then directed her gaze at the tv, filled with confusion. "what is there to look at?" aeloria muttered inwardly. she glanced at his pointed finger, then at the tv, which seemed like nothing more than a black painting, leaving her very confused. "big brother alex, you''re just tricking anya. there''s nothing to see at all," she snorted, stopping herself from his pressing his hand on her lap, while sitting down on the soft couch like a spoiled brat. alexander just smiled at her cute action, "just wait for the magic to happen," he said as he picked up a black remote beside the couch. he pointed the remote at the tv and pressed the power button. suddenly, the flat-screen tv glowed, and the brand name ''razon'' appeared. seeing the sudden burst of colors and light from what they thought was just a black painting, they were stunned. "wow, big brother alex, the painting is changing color and glowing!" anya said in awe, looking at it. aeloria was also speechless but quickly regained her composure. the surprises and shocks she had experienced so far were uncountable making him used to it. he then clicked on a random video about some guys in costumes, "it''s morphing time," the man on the tv said as he touched his watch. it began to glow, enveloping him in a bright light. as the light intensified, the man''s silhouette started to change. his casual clothes transformed into a sleek, red suit with intricate designs. a helmet materialized that had the design of a t-rex, completing his transformation into a red ranger. the once ordinary man now stood as a powerful hero, ready to take on any challenge. "wow, big brother, this tv just caught a man, trapping him inside while giving him superpowers. he''s just like you, but you''re much cooler and also not trapped inside," anya said, looking at the tv in amazement. the red ranger then began to move towards the enemy, who had human figures clad in dinosaur costumes. "dino saber!" he shouted. a saber that resembled a dinosaur appeared in his hand, one of his primary tools for melee combat when not relying on hand-to-hand martial arts. he slashed at the dino enemies, creating sparks as the blade swept through them. with each strike, he performed backflips and soared through the air, delivering a flurry of attacks. the saber was remarkably powerful, matching the strength of an enemy''s sword and mortally wounding the dino foes. the display was thrilling, showcasing the red ranger''s agility and strength. suddenly, he was surrounded by lots of enemies. he exclaimed, revealing another weapon, "dino blaster!" a powerful weapon materialized in front of him, it was the dino blaster, a handgun-like laser that shoots small but surprisingly damaging blasts, capable of hurting even generals. "dino super drive charger, engage!" he bellowed, holding the gun as it gathered energy at its end. "dino charger, engage!" he shouted again, as it became even more powerful. "dino blast!" he yelled aloud, as the bullet flew like a laser, hitting the dino enemies and sending them flying from the explosion. the display of power was incredible, showcasing the red ranger''s strength even though he was sorrounded. ... looking back, it feels cringe to watch this show now, although as a youngster, i adored it. the collection of dvds i amassed is the evidence to show how much i enjoyed it back then. growing up hits different. Chapter 86 as they finished watching the whole scene, anya was having fun, and even aeloria couldn''t help but be fascinated.this was the first time she had seen a human in a suit transform into a giant, shooting laser beams. seeing their faces, alexander was very much enjoying it as well. he then explained, "what you are watching is just a kids'' show. it''s not real," he uttered as the show finished and another scene started, showing the red ranger outside in space. "not real? big brother alex, i don''t believe you. anya can literally see that it''s a real person," anya argued, her cheeks puffed up in disagreement. alexander chuckled at her reaction, "i know it looks real, but it''s all special effects and acting. that''s the magic of tv and movies," he said, trying to put some sense. anya still seemed skeptical, but she continued to watch the screen with wide-eyed wonder. aeloria also didn''t believe him and sided with the little child. alexander continued to explain, "look, if you want to believe it, you two will look like fools in my hometown. on the tv, you can see that it''s a show made for kids. what they are using is called special effects. they are not real but edited," alexander said. the two stared at him with blank faces, having no idea what he meant, "what''s special effects and edited, big brother alex?" anya asked, looking at him in confusion. alexander stopped and thought for a while, finally sighing. he realized he would have to explain it in the simplest terms they could understand. after a while of explaining the functions of the tv and the variety of shows available, the two gradually understood what alexander meant, making him breathe a sigh of relief. it took him about half an hour of explaining, during which he showed them other shows like cartoons and anime. "so that means i can watch anything i want on this tv, big brother alex?" anya asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "yes, you can. you can watch any cartoons or even some action and romantic films," he responded with a smile. hearing this, anya was thrilled, shaking with excitement on the couch. alexander, seeing this, handed her the remote and began teaching her how to use it. thanks to his unique passive from his title ''traveller'' that was shared with the two, understanding written words and language was not a problem. anya listened carefully to his explanation on how to use the remote. as she took it and clicked some buttons, she selected a show. the screen lit up with an intro featuring a melon spinning, capturing her attention immediately. "cocomelon" the sound system sounded. anya got off the couch and moved closer to the tv hanging on the wall, watching the cartoon kid singing songs while playing with a toy in the night. aeloria was also captivated by the show, humming along to the tune, "twinkle, twinkle little star, how i wonder what you are, up above..." stay tuned for updates on empire alexander looked at anya, who was now sitting on the floor, legs crossed, completely engrossed in the tv. he then glanced at aeloria. "aeloria, i have something to talk about," he said softly. aeloria, who had been enjoying the moment, paused and shifted her gaze towards alexander, curiosity filling her eyes as she wondered what he wanted to discuss. now that he had her attention, alexander said, "i want to enroll anya in a school. would that be okay with you? she''s still young and needs to learn the principles of my hometown, and it would also give her the chance to make friends close to her age," he said, locking his gaze with hers. hearing this, aeloria didn''t agree immediately. she looked down and thought about it for a while. memories of anya''s childhood came flooding back, like how she hadn''t had the chance to play with other kids due to their hard life. she knew that sending anya to school could offer her the opportunities and experiences she had missed out on. rather than playing, anya always followed her to gather food, wasting her youth along the way. aeloria knew what school was, but back in her hometown, it was located hundreds of kilometers away. the transportation costs were high, and that didn''t even include the tuition. moreover, the journey was fraught with dangers like wild beasts and bandits, which she feared the most. even if the cost was high, aeloria would work three times harder to afford it. but the danger was too great; she couldn''t bear the thought of sending anya off on such a perilous journey. she was traumatized by bandits, terrified that anya might be abducted and suffer the same fate as her mother. bandits didn''t care about age, and aeloria had heard many stories and news about such horrors, making her afraid to leave anya alone. "is the journey safe? are there going to be beasts or bandits and bad people if she goes to school?" aeloria asked with concern. seeing the worry in her eyes, alexander gently held her hands, which were squeezing the foam of the couch. she calmed down and waited for his response. "you don''t have to worry about that. my hometown is governed by law. even though there are bad people, they are not active because they don''t want to get arrested," he replied reassuringly. "also, i could hire a chauffeur, or you could say a driver, to take anya to school and bring her home. if you''re really worried, we can visit the school together so you can see how safe and lively it is," he finished. absorbing the information, aeloria felt reluctant but knew that this was for anya''s growth. who was she to stop her from having such opportunities? "alright then, i''ll agree, but let us check the school first. is it also possible to stay with her for the day? i think she will not feel comfortable since your hometown is so different," aeloria said with a condition. "sure, that''s not a problem. it''s late at night, so you should rest now. tomorrow, i''ll take you to the library, or you can find it since it''s not far from here. also, you can watch more tv shows related to my hometown to understand more about my place," alexander said, glancing at the time on his phone. seeing the object in his hand, aeloria was puzzled. noticing her curious expression, alexander explained, "this is called a smartphone. it''s like a miniature tv, but it''s a bit different. you can watch videos, play games, or even call and text someone," he said, passing her the phone. aeloria took the phone, her eyes wide with wonder. she slowly explored its features, intrigued by the item in her hand. alexander just watched her actions with a smile, glad to see her interest and excitement. she took it and was a little confused about how to use it. alexander taught her step by step, showing her how to tap and swipe. after some time, she began to understand it a little. "i will buy you one tomorrow. with a phone, you can call me if any problem happens," he said as he watched her playing a tap money game. observing that it appeared to be a game to outsiders, and the generated money was not being deposited into his account. if it did then it will be the greatest life hack if that were the case. "let''s take a nap for now. tomorrow, i have to go to work and will come back in the afternoon," he said. aeloria then handed the phone back to him. anya, who was called to sleep for the night, was reluctant since she loved watching the bald baby singing on tv. however, she didn''t want to anger her big sister, so she followed unwillingly. alexander then turned off the tv and guided the two back to their rooms. he turned on the air conditioning, setting it to a comfortable coolness, and closed the window to ensure they wouldn''t leak out. "if you need anything, i will be in my room," alexander said to aeloria, who stood at the door while anya was already lying in bed, covering her upper body with the quilt, enjoying its texture. aeloria nodded as alexander walked over to anya, leaned down, and kissed her forehead, gently patting her head. "alright then, anya. go to sleep now. you watch tv tomorrow since it was night, you have to know that looking at the screen for too long will hurt your eyes. aeloria, don''t forget, if there are any problems, just find me in my room," alexander said, standing up straight. with that, he left the room and went towards his own. alexander then left the room, leaving aeloria and anya alone. he turned off the light and had already instructed aeloria on how to turn it on and off. he headed to his own room, deciding to take a nap. even though he didn''t need it at the moment, he wanted to relax, appreciating being back in his world. in a distant place, in a mansion, a middle-aged man stood in a wide and luxurious room, close to the window, gazing into the distance. his expression was unreadable, hinting at deep thoughts and perhaps a plan forming in his mind. the night was calm, but his mind was undoubtedly active, filled with ideas and intentions yet to be revealed. "yuno, i want you to take a flight to watch and protect my son. if there are troubles that he cannot handle, i want you to deal with them. now that he has already experienced the life of a normal person, his training has come to an end," the man said. it was none other than alexander''s father, max ashbourne. behind him stood an elderly man, around 60-70 years old. "your words are my command, master. i also cannot wait to see the growth of the young master after being exposed to the harsh realities of society," he said, bowing his head. this was alexander''s personal butler from his childhood. alexander referred to him as uncle yuno rather than a servant. however, due to certain circumstances, yuno had been prohibited from interfering in his young master''s life. now, with the master''s order, yuno was once again ready to serve and protect alexander, eager to witness his growth and support him in any way possible. "since my son is currently living as a normal person, he still needs protection. that''s why i''m sending you. with you by his side, he will be safe, even if the whole world becomes his enemy," alexander''s father, max ashbourne, said, his face remaining stoic as he continued to gaze at the scenery outside. yuno kept bowing his head in approval, "that is the reason why i called you. you can go tomorrow morning, but remember, do not expose yourself. he harbors great resentment towards us after all," max said, his voice unwavering. yuno straightened up and replied, "understood, master. i will ensure the young master''s safety without revealing my presence." ... that is, if he is still a normal person after all that. s§×arch* the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 87 he then left the room, while alexander''s father continued to gaze at the distant mountain, deep in thought, though no one knew what he was contemplating.back in alexander''s room, he was having the best sleep of his life. as time passed, alexander woke up and looked at the clock, realizing it was already 4 o''clock in the morning. he got up, took a shower, and put on some clothes. once he was ready, he stepped out of his room and quietly walked down the hallway. he gently opened the door to the room where aeloria and anya were staying. seeing that they were still sound asleep and seemed undisturbed by their surroundings, he closed the door quietly, ensuring they wouldn''t be woken up. alexander continued down the grand staircase, making his way through the manor. he exited the large estate and walked all the way to the gate. he noticed the two security guards still diligently guarding the place and decided to give them a bonus for their dedication. seeing the owner already awake so early, one of the guards opened the huge gate. "are the two of you not tired at all?" alexander asked, looking at them. their faces were serious and sharp, clearly indicating they were not ordinary people. with his heightened senses, he could tell these security guards had exceptional abilities. "young master, you don''t have to worry about us. we served in the army, so this is just normal for us," one of the men said with a smile. the other nodded in agreement. before they retired, their work was much harder. guarding this manor, where they could simply stand and get paid, was something they were more than happy to accept. alexander appreciated their dedication and decided to make sure they were well-rewarded for their commitment in doing their job. hearing their answers and understanding why they exuded the aura of an experience figther, alexander nodded in acceptance. "oh yeah, if someone is looking for me, just tell them i will be back. keep up the good job, i will triple your salary at the end of the month," alexander said with a smile. the guards hearing this were thrilled, not just because their salary would be double but tripled, working for the rich truly had its perks. alexander then walked along the path leading out of ''summit heights.'' he encountered the familiar security guards who greeted him and offered him a ride down the mountain, but he politely declined, preferring to walk. after walking for a few minutes and arriving at the base of the mountain by the roadside, he noticed a restaurant, though it was still closed. it was understandable since it was so early in the morning, that there is no sunrise. so, he decided to walk a bit further, heading toward the inner skirts of the city to see what else he might find. he found a small roadside restaurant that was already open. walking towards it, he saw a variety of delicious dishes on display, like adobo, kaldereta, afritada, and many more. behind the counter, a middle-aged woman with a chubby face, wearing a hair net and apron, was surprised to see a customer so early in the morning. the young man''s handsome appearance caught her off guard. sea??h th§× novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. smiling warmly, she asked, "is there any food that you like, young man? it''s still hot, and i can tell you it tastes good." the woman had a bit of a rounded figure, but she had a charm that hinted at her youthful attractiveness. time might have added a few lines and curves, but her kind eyes and friendly demeanor still shone through. "system, how much have i earned today?" he inquired silently. [from your investment in the stock market, you have earned a total of {1,362,511 pesos} in 7 hours. from the earnings generator, you have earned {28,750 pesos} in 7 hours, 11 minutes, and 11 seconds.] [your total earnings amount to {1,391,261} pesos. would you like to claim it?] "yes" alexander replied in his mind. [status experience: 30,278/34,000 name: alexander ashbourne free points: 18 title: {traveller} {saberwolf slayer} level: 33 strength: 125 speed: 95 agility: 80 dexterity: 65 intelligence: 7 {maximum is 10} defense: 85 charisma: 10 {max} earnings: 0 pesos balance: 1,391,261 skills: {heart of stone[un], {berserker instinct}, {toxin nullifier} techniques: {serpents coil}, {vital draw technique} weapons: {infernal fury}] alexander''s phone buzzed as the money was cashed in. he turned to the kind aunt, the owner of the small restaurant, and replied, "i want to order 2 adobos and two sinigang, auntie," pointing at the dishes. for adobo, which you might already be familiar with, sinigang is a classic filipino soup characterized by its sour and savory medley of flavors. it''s a popular comfort food in the philippines, usually served on its own or paired with steamed rice, much like adobo. "that''s good, young man. i''ll pack it up right now," the aunt said, her eyes sparkling with delight at earning a substantial sum from her first customer. she carefully scooped the two dishes into containers, ensuring they were securely packed. she wrapped them in another layer of plastic to make sure they wouldn''t tear during alexander''s walk. alexander thanked her and took the warm packages, feeling grateful for the delicious breakfast they would soon enjoy. "oh, auntie, could you please add rice for about 8 servings?" alexander asked with a smile. the woman''s face lit up with excitement as she quickly set about fulfilling his request. your next chapter is on empire after preparing everything, she looked at the handsome young man and calculated the total amount. "that would be a total of 280 pesos, young man," the kind aunt said with a warm smile. alexander nodded and reached into his pocket, only to find his bank card. he realized he had forgotten to bring any cash and couldn''t help but smack his forehead in embarrassment. "auntie, do you accept digital payments? i didn''t realize i didn''t bring any money with me," he asked, holding up his phone. the middle-aged woman looked a bit troubled and replied, "i''m sorry, young man. i don''t have a phone, and i don''t accept digital payments. buying one is expensive, and i would rather spend the money on my daughter''s tuition. plus, i''m not very fond of using gadgets," she explained, with an embarrassed tone. "young man, it''s not that i don''t want to, but i really don''t have a phone. i''m sorry," the kind aunt said with a wry smile. seeing her troubled face, alexander wasn''t angry, knowing it was his fault. suddenly, a voice behind him caught his attention. "you can just pay me, young man. i have cash here," a mature woman''s voice reached his ears. turning around, he saw a woman wearing a big hat, shades, and a mask. hearing her offer, alexander was delighted. "really?" he asked, his charming smile lighting up his face. the woman who was staring at him and when he turned around, she was stunned. she couldn''t believe such a handsome young man actually existed. his charm was greater than that of any celebrity she had ever seen. his aura was different¡ªnot the soft and delicate kind, but one that seemed honed and refined through experience. his presence was captivating, exuding a blend of strength and sophistication that left her in awe. the mature woman stared at him for a long moment before coughing lightly and replying, "yes, since i also want to buy something, how much is his order, auntie?" she felt embarrassed for having looked at him for such a long time. the kind aunt, seeing the woman who seemed to be covering herself up, smiled widely. "his total order would be 280 pesos, young lady," the aunt said, noting the woman appeared to be a rich lady, since the clothes is grand and luxurious. "i see, here is the payment. i don''t have any change, is this okay?" the mature woman said, walking close to the counter and pulling out a 1,000 pesos bill from her purse. "yes, don''t worry ms. i have change here," the aunt responded, her smile widening as she took the money. alexander could not help but thanked the mature woman for her kindness and patience, feeling grateful for the unexpected help. the woman then placed her order. "i see, then i''d like to order your specialty sinigang and three servings of rice, please, and could you wrap it up to go?" she requested. the aunt prepared the order, calculating the total. "including the young man''s order, the total comes to 410 pesos," she said. the mature woman nodded and paid the bill, receiving her change. she then started to walk away when alexander followed her. "excuse me, ms., you forgot my payment. could you tell me your account number so i can transfer it to you?" alexander asked, seeing that she was about to leave. hearing his words, the woman remembered and took out her phone. she navigated to the app and showed him her account number. alexander quickly entered the account number into his phone and sent the amount. [-1,000 pesos] the woman heard the notification sound, looked at her phone, and saw that alexander had transferred 1,000 pesos, which stunned her. "thanks for the help, ms. consider the extra as a tip. i''ll be going now, bye," alexander said, thanking the kind woman and bidding his farewell as he began to walk away. the woman stood frozen on the spot, unable to utter a word. she glanced at alexander''s back, feeling amused by his generosity. she had actually received a tip from a young man, and didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. she then walked towards the parking spot, where her sports car, a mclaren 570s, was parked. she put the food she ordered on the empty seat and drove away. alexander then hailed a taxi and instructed it to take him to his destination. looking at the time, it was already 5:23 am. he thought that aeloria and anya might be awake soon, and he also needed to prepare for work. ... can you please leave a review, also, please vote my novel with power stone and golden ticket. Chapter 88 as alexander rode a taxi all the way to the mountain, arriving at the entrance gate of ''summit heights'', the security guard, kent, seeing the familiar passenger, nodded at his other buddies to let the car in.arriving at his manor, the driver was shocked that the simple young man buying breakfast was actually a rich person. "rich people really had a taste for pretending to be poor," he thought inwardly. "this fetish is kind of good though, alas i''m poor" he said shaking his head in dissapointment. the fare was only 265 pesos, luckily the driver accept digital payment, so he wasn''t troubled. after paying 1,000 pesos, the driver was happy from the huge tip. he said his goodbye as drove down to leave this place. alexander then saw the two who had already opened up the gate. "young master, there was a woman here earlier this morning; i believe she''s the person you were referring to. i told her that you had gone out on business and would return later," said the security guard named lewis. lewis noted that about ten minutes after the young master had left, a woman emerged from the house, leaving him astonished. she was not just any ordinary woman, but a striking beauty. he was baffled to learn that a goddess actually resided in the manor. as he guarded the entrance, he noticed the young master arrived without any company, leaving him puzzled about how his boss had brought this woman here. the woman then inquired about his location, lewis and his fellow security guard, andre bon, responded with utmost respect. after listening to their explanation, the woman thanked them and proceeded inside. they were in a daze looking at her fading back, filled with grace even her voice was so soft just like a melody in ancient times. hearing this, alexander was surprised that aeloria had woken up just minutes after he left. he nodded to the two and entered the manor. inside, he could hear the sound of a tv in use. as he approached the living room, he found aeloria watching ''cocomelon'' on tv. she had already learned how to turn the tv on and off, and how to search for and switch between videos. aeloria was intently watching a bald baby on tv taking a shower and singing, "let''s take a bath, take a bath. a warm and bubbly bath..." he couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight; he had never seen anyone watch a children''s show with such seriousness. "aeloria, is anya awake?" he called out. startled from her focus on the tv, aeloria glanced sideways and noticed alexander standing there, holding something in his hands. "alex, you''re back! i''ve been looking everywhere for you," aeloria exclaimed, rising to her feet and taking the plastic bag from his hands where the food was contained. with this slight gesture, it can still be called help right? "what is this?" aeloria asked, examining the plastic in her hands. "oh, that''s today''s breakfast. it''s almost 6, isn''t anya awake yet?" alexander inquired. aeloria shook her head in response, yet she decided to check on anya once more, having last done so about half an hour earlier. when she returned, she was clasping anya''s hands, her eyes still hazy and sleepy. "good morning, big brother alex," anya said with a weary expression, her hair was disheveled. "you sleepy child, how was your night sleep in the first day?" alexander asked, approaching her and patting her head. anya then released aeloria''s hands, stretching her arms out, signaling she wanted to be carried. alexander replied by lifting her into his arms. "so, how was your sleep? was it comfortable?" he inquired, playfully pinching her nose. anya giggled when being pinched, she also felt a slight tickle from the touch. "the room was so cold and refreshing, big brother. anya loved it very much," anya exclaimed, puzzled because the window was closed, yet it was cold. "yeah, alex, why is the room cold? the windows were shut, and when i approached the object that was releasing cold air, i discovered it was actually an artifact. is it also referred to as a machine?" aeloria inquired. "yes, it''s a machine that generates cold and refreshing air; it''s called an air conditioner. cool, right?" he replied with a smile. aeloria nodded his head in approval, as it was indeed cool to generate cold wind, and her views were greatly broadened by alexander. "alright, that''s enough for now. anya, why don''t you look at your big sister''s hands?" alexander suggested to the little girl in his arms. hearing his words, she shifted her gaze and noticed a wrapped package. "what is that, big brother alex?" she inquired, her eyes wide with wonder. observing her expression, alexander couldn''t resist the charm of her cuteness and gently pressed his cheek to hers, he was very much too attracted the little child. anya, taken by surprise, could only whimper and giggle in response. "big brother, anya feels ticklish," she said, chuckle softly. sear?h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. alexander then leaned back and announced, "that''s your food for today. let''s go have breakfast," he said. as he glanced at aeloria, who was smiling at him, leaving him to wonder if the girl had slept well that night since his smile was so bright. upon their arrival in the kitchen, alexander reached for some bowls, only to find aeloria had already gotten them from the drawers, impressing him with her swift adaptability. she had quickly become accustomed to her surroundings since her first day. alexander proceeded to open the plastic containers and served the adobo and sinigang into the large bowls, which were spacious enough for both dishes. next, alexander gathered plates and other utensils. with everything set, he placed some rice on the plates and invited anya to select her preferred dish. "big brother alex, anya wants this," she said, pointing at the adobo, wondering why its broth is black. "good eye, anya. this is called an adobo a chicken adobo. there is also an adobo made with pork, but unfortunately, the aunt who sells it had none," alexander explained, scooping some broth and a piece of chicken onto her plate. alexander assisted aeloria by serving some rice and selecting the sinigang for her to try the taste. "try this, aeloria. i promise you, it tastes good," alexander said with a smile as he served her. aeloria expressed her gratitude, and he responded with a smile before standing up to retrieve a pitcher of cold water from the refrigerator. he then took three glasses and set them in the center of the table. he meticulously filled each glass and positioned them in front of aeloria and anya. little anya, with her small hands, excitedly reached for her fork and spoon. she looked curiously at the unfamiliar dish before her, adobo, with its rich, dark sauce and tender pieces of meat. her eyes widened in anticipation as she carefully cut a small piece and brought it to her mouth. the moment the flavors hit her tongue, her eyes lit up with surprise and delight. the savory, slightly tangy taste of the soy sauce and vinegar mingled with the sweetness of the caramelized onions and garlic, creating a burst of flavors she had never experienced before. ... author here, its not like she knows the ingredients its just me the author adding the details. ... anya chewed thoughtfully, her eyebrows raising in wonder. she took another bite, this time with a piece of the tender, marinated meat, and her face broke into a wide, toothy grin. "this is yummy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine joy and excitement. she quickly took another bite, savoring the delicious new flavors, her small feet swinging happily beneath her chair. alexander watched with amusement and satisfaction, glad to see anya enjoying her meal so much. the new dish had quickly become a new favorite for the little girl, making the breakfast all the more special. aeloria seeing her cute expression, turned her attention to her own plate. the rice was mixed with the broth of sinigang, creating a fragrant, steaming mixture. she could see pieces of pork nestled among the vegetables, their aroma tantalizing her senses. curious, she picked up her spoon and dipped it into the broth, lifting it to her lips. as the first taste hit her tongue, her eyes widened in surprise. the broth was a perfect balance of sour and savory, the tamarind giving it a refreshing tang that contrasted beautifully with the rich, hearty flavors of the pork and vegetables. she took another spoonful, this time with a piece of the tender pork. the meat was succulent and flavorful, having absorbed the delicious broth. she savored the blend of tastes and textures, feeling a warm, comforting sensation spread through her. "this is even better than the meal we had last night; i can''t believe it''s possible to make such a delicacy," she uttered, as if on the verge of tears. aeloria couldn''t help but smile from this, totally delighted by the unexpected pleasure of the meal. the sinigang was unlike anything she had tasted before, its unique flavors creating an unforgettable dining experience. noticing her enjoyment, alexander asked, "how do you like it?" "it''s wonderful," aeloria replied, her eyes shining." "the flavors are so different and otherworldly, yet it is absolutely delightful. what''s the name of it again, alex?" she asked, the name of the dish again. since the taste somehow wash away her memory. "the dishes are called adobo and sinigang, the sinigang is a type of soup or stew if you want to know," alexander replied, taking a bite of his own plate. aeloria hummed in acknowledgment, savoring the blissful taste as they enjoyed the time of their lives. experience tales at empire meanwhile, in an underground bar, a man with a burn mark on his face, dressed in a black suit, glanced at his assistant from the couch. Chapter 89 "is everything prepared, ethan?" the man said, sipping a glass of wine. like who would drink a wine so early in the morning?ethan, standing across the table, adjusted his glasses and nodded, "it''s done, boss. everything is prepared. we''re just waiting for ms. valentine to walk into the trap," he stated. jonathan smirked with delight upon hearing this, "is the location secure? make sure to be thorough and leave no trace of our plans," he instructed. "yes, boss, everything is well prepared. we made sure there are no witnesses during our act. also, the location will be in a deep mountain in an abandoned factory," ethan said, his voice unwavering. jonathan just nods his head, "what about the expert i told you about? is he coming tonight? since our plan will be initiated tonight. so, no problem must happen at that time," he asked, his voice still firm. "i assure you, boss, that everything is well planned. after agreeing to the deal, he had already taken a ride to come. he will be arriving this afternoon at the port," ethan assured him. "i see," jonathan said, feeling his heart being squeezed. one billion was gone just like that. but looking at the bright side, it was worth it. the money he had accumulated was thanks to selling drugs, doing illegal things like selling human products. so that''s why he could come up with a billion, but if he tried to come up with another billion? the answer is not possible, since he had only 1 billion for all of his years in working. but taking a loan is possible, but the question is if they can provide him with it. "make sure to fetch him with a ride and remember to act respectful no matter what happens. as of today, the name lancaster will cease to exist in this city," he declared, with a deadly smile. ethan nodded with a harrumphing smile as well and responded, "don''t forget the little kid, boss." jonathan, hearing this, could not help but be blank for a moment. as he exclaimed, "i almost forgot about this kid! he''s been making trouble since yesterday. how could i forget such a thing? when you abduct that valentine woman, call him and let him come alone to the place. we''re going to get rid of that troublemaker for good," he said, not even bothering to look at alexander since what could a kid do if he only knows a few tricks? this time, they were prepared. they had guns, so the plan was full-proof this time. ethan, hearing this, was delighted. he was really angered, feeling full of shame from that kid acting arrogant yesterday. now he could vent it out tonight. his eyes glinted with malice, eagerly anticipating the impending event. alexander, who had no idea that the ''black serpent gant'' was already planning something big, he was very much busy in his own world, like enjoying his meal. once they were finished, alexander placed the dirty plates and bowls in the dishwasher and left the glass cups in the sink. he then gave the two a tour, watching as they gazed in awe. this was only the beginning; since the house was far larger than they could imagine. "this is the library," alexander said, gesturing to the shelves lined with books. "if you want to learn more about my hometown, everything you need is here." he stated towards aeloria. she then stared at the vast number of books, feeling overwhelmed. if she planned to read them all, it would take her a decade to finish. "if you need anything else, just ask the man with uniform outside who you spoke with earlier today," he said. "i''ll leave my number with them in case any issues come up. so, you can give me a call" he finished. at that moment, he noticed anya holding a book with colorful pictures, was sitting on the floor reading the book with the cover of a girl in red dress. while pascal was perched on her shoulder as they read ''little red riding hood'' together. "haha, anya already beat you to it. i''ll be leaving now, aeloria, since i have work today," alexander said to her. aeloria, though reluctant, knew she had no choice but to accept that alexander was going to work. she couldn''t help but feel a pang of loneliness the mere though of it. the realization that she was becoming someone who merely waited for her partner to return home, and relying on the benefits of his hard work, gnawed at her. the thought alone made her resolve to find her own path and purpose, determined to help in her own way. so that''s why she had to help herself first, and her first goal was to understand the rules and the machines that were everywhere. she looked at the books with determination in her eyes. seeing her resolute gaze, alexander didn''t know what was going on in her mind. he bid his goodbye again. aeloria was brought back from her thoughts hugged him. "thank you very much, alex," she said warmly, a beautiful smile blooming on her face. she could truly feel that alex''s homeland was very different from hers. the things here were otherworldly, making her wonder if she was really in another world. feeling the two marshmallows'' softness against his broad chest, he didn''t let his thoughts run wild as he waited for her to let go. "take care of yourself at work," aeloria said with a smile. alexander nodded and stepped out. as he exited the place, he saw the two security guards, andre bon and lewis. "can you buy my companions inside the manor some lunch this afternoon? since i will not be back due to work," he asked lewis, hoping it wouldn''t be an inconvenience. while this wasn''t part of their usual security duties, lewis looked at andre bon, who nodded in agreement. understanding that their boss was making a request, they both agreed willingly. after all, going the extra mile for alexander was never a problem. it''s only purchasing lunch, so why wouldn''t they accept it? "certainly, young master, i will follow your instructions," lewis said, giving a salute. alexander smiled wryly at his action, "at ease, uncle lewis. i''m not a soldier, don''t do that. also, can you show me your digital bank account? i''m not going to let you pay with your allowance, of course," he said, asking to see the account. lewis straightened himself and took out his phone, navigating to the app and showing it to alexander. "here it is, young master," he responded, his voice deep. alexander glanced at the screen, tapped a few times on his phone, and then clicked confirm. a notification then sounded on lewis''s phone. lewis stared at his phone, stunned by what he saw. andre bon glanced over and was equally shocked. s~ea??h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "young master, isn''t it just buying lunch? why is it over 20,000 pesos? this is almost our entire salary," lewis said, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. alexander just smiled gleefully and replied, "just buy some dishes to take out. you can use the remaining money to buy whatever you want, and for transportation costs, of course. also, here''s my number. if my companions inside need to reach me, just give me a call," he said, handing over his number. the two guards watched as lewis stood there blankly, adding alexander''s number to his contact list. as alexander walked away, they continued to stare after him, dumbfoundedly. "hey, lewis, do you think we can buy beer with this? he said we can buy whatever we want, right?" andre bon whispered, like a ghost in his ear. lewis, snapping out of his daze, frowned, "andre, are you stupid? you know we''re on duty. if we get drunk, we''re done for. besides, our boss has been very generous. i don''t want to risk getting fired," he retorted. "hey, hey, calm down, my brotha. i''m just joking. why take it so seriously? but still, what kind of job does the young master do afford this?" andre bon pondered. lewis was also curious but shook his head. their job was to guard, not gossip. "we shouldn''t pry too much into the boss''s job," he replied, "but if you think about it, it must involve billions. the manor alone is worth a fortune." andre bon hearing this nodded in acceptance. if they knew that alexander''s job was a waiter with a salary of 1,000 pesos per day, they would be shocked beyond belief. what kind of person would own a manor worth billions and pretend to be poor by working as a waiter? if they found out, they wouldn''t know how to react. as alexander approached the gate of ''summit heights,'' he was offered a ride by kent, which he accepted. since walking down, the road would make him late, and it was a hassle. after settling into the passenger seat, kent droves down and asked for the destination. alexander gave him the address, and kent followed it. as they drove, kent kept glancing at the rearview mirror, making alexander feel awkward. with his heightened senses, he noticed every small peek. "kent, is there a problem? you''ve been glancing at me for some time now," alexander decided to asked. caught in the act, kent wasn''t embarrassed. he slowed down the car and looked back at alexander. feeling his intense gaze, alexander felt a sense of dread, as sweat forming on his face. "is he gay, just waiting for a moment to strike?" he thought, terrified by the mere idea. kent''s piercing eyes scanned him from head to toe before he finally spoke. "young master, forgive me for asking something personal. but you just look so different," he stated. alexander, caught off guard, sighed in relief that it wasn''t what he feared. "really? how so?" he asked, clearly confused. he was still himself, so what kind of change could kent be seeing in him? "young master, i can''t quite put my finger on it, but you seem different from when i last saw you. back then, you had an air of nobility surrounding you, just like those families that are groomed properly. but now, there''s something more. you exude a powerful presence, like a formidable soldier or warrior. your aura alone makes me feel a sense of pressure just by looking at you." he said with a shudder looking at the road. explore new worlds at empire alexander narrowed his brows at kent''s explanation. after a moment of thought, he realized the reason for the change in his aura. his experiences from the battles, and the leveling up had honed his presence, transforming him from a naive newcomer into a formidable force, much like a newborn calf growing into a powerful adult. Chapter 90 Viper Ronin alexander decided to be dropped off across from the restaurant and paid kent 1,000 pesos another huge tip that is.kent then thanked him profusely before driving back to continue his duties. as alexander watched the car fade into the distance, he turned his gaze towards the restaurant and noticed claire watching him. after checking the road to ensure it was clear, he crossed over to her. "good morning, claire," he greeted. claire just nodded in acknowledgment, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere. alexander looking at her expression, wondered what was on her mind. "let''s go inside and prepare since we''re about to open up," claire said, snapping out of her reverie. alexander nodded and followed claire inside the restaurant, observing the quiet place. he thought to himself, "i should resign next week. money is no longer a problem, and i need to focus on making more and cultivating. spending all my time at a regular job when i can earn so much more elsewhere isn''t ideal." however, he didn''t want to resign immediately because valentine had treated him so well, increasing his salary and offering him the job with low requirements. his companions at the restaurant were also not bad. without the system, his goal would have been to work, support his studies, get a job, and live a good life. but now, with the system, his goals had taken a massive turn. he realized that money was secondary to power. with power, he could have money. however, he still wanted to attend school and have a normal school life. when they were inside, sophia, who was wiping the table, saw alexander and was about to greet him but stope and kept staring at him blankly. "is there really something wrong with my face?" he frowned, checking his reflection in a glass. finding nothing amiss, he asked, feeling puzzled, "can you tell me why you seem to freeze in place while looking at me?" sophia and claire just remained silent, and continuedly observe him. just as claire was about to speak, weasley appeared behind alexander. "hey, good morning alexander. what a wonderful day rig¡ª" weasley''s voice stopped abruptly when alexander turned to look at him. seeing weasley freeze mid-sentence, alexander felt something was definitely off. "can you tell me why your gazes are so intense, like you want to read my soul?" he asked the three. weasley did not speak yet and just put his hand on his chin, observing alexander closely. "alexander, did you get a haircut?" he asked with a narrowed gaze. alexander was stunned by the question. did he get a haircut? of course not. "not at the moment, uncle weasley. why would you even ask that?" alexander replied, fully confused. weasley nodded since he also didn''t see any changes in his hair, "it''s just that you look so different," he said. weasley nodded, still puzzled. "your charm seems to have increased. i don''t know, but you''ve just become more appealing, and the pressure you give off seems so different that i can''t describe it," he said, deep in thought. sophia laughed softly, adding, "dad was right, alexander. you give off a different feeling. it''s like you''ve gone from a little baby to a mature man all of a sudden." "i can''t deny what sophia said," claire said in a calm voice, "you looked like a young master yesterday, but now you look like a soldier who has experienced life-and-death scenarios." alexander, hearing what they said, made him question himself. did his aura really change? but all he did was kill beasts and level up. how could the changes in him be so obvious? "i see. i didn''t notice this," alexander replied with a slight grin. "well, maybe it''s just because i''ve been practicing martial arts and made a breakthrough, tempering my temperament." claire listening to his explanation just hummed in response, thinking that this must be the case. she didn''t know any martial arts, but she knew that practicing could change one''s perception on its user, so this explanation made sense to her. as they were discussing, valentine then appeared in an office suit, "what are the four of you discussing? don''t tell me you''re gossiping something bad so early in the morni¡ª" she stopped mid-sentence, looking at alexander. "oh, alexander, did you get a haircut?" she asked, looking at him closely. alexander couldn''t help but sigh wryly, "no, i didn''t. it''s just because i''ve had a breakthrough in my training, so my temperament has changed," he explained. valentine nodded, seeming like she understands, though it was clear she didn''t fully grasp it. she didn''t ponder about it further but greeted each of them before bidding farewell to tend to her work. noticing the time, alexander and claire finished their dilly-dallying. they put on their uniforms, and alexander turned the sign to indicate they were open. soon, customers began arriving one by one to eat. finally, lunchtime came, and they all took a short break to enjoy their meals. afterward, they continued their work. at a port near the seashore, ethan and a few large men in black suits stood behind a black car. ethan checked his phone, wondering if the old man had gotten lost. the ship had already docked, so why wasn''t he here yet? this made him a bit angry, that an old man who knows how to fight had the balls to make him wait. suddenly, a man filled with vitality walked out of the ship and stood before him. he wasn''t particularly bulky but looked like an ordinary old man with a long beard and mustache. "are you, my employer?" the old man said in a deep voice. ethan, caught off guard by the old man''s appearance and his question, realized this must be the person he was waiting for. "you must be master viper. nice to meet you. i''m ethan, and my boss wants to meet you," he said, scrutinizing the old man. inwardly, ethan was filled with contempt but did not spoke it aloud, "this old man looks so malnourished. is he not going to die with just a punch? those weak arms look like they need some nutrition," he thought. the old man, known as viper ronin, was not angered by ethan''s disdainful eyes. he just smiled playfully, sensing the disgust from an ordinary person. "consider this your lucky day, since i''m in a very good mood," viper ronin said with a scornful smile, making ethan and the other men freeze. anger welled up in the men behind ethan as they clenched their fists, looking at viper menacingly preparing to take action to each this old man a lesson. "stop, step down. this is the boss''s guest. don''t do anything that isn''t in his orders," ethan commanded, spreading his left hand to halt them. experience more content on empire he then bowed to the old man and apologized, "sorry about that, master viper. if i offended you, please forgive me. please get inside the car; the boss is waiting for you at his place," ethan said, bowing his head but his eyes were bloodshot, clearly unwilling. he was strictly instructed to bring this old man and to act courteously, ensuring not to anger him. their plan couldn''t afford any mistakes or delays at this stage. "hmph, you have some consciousness, i see. if you hadn''t done that, i would''ve disabled you just now," viper ronin snorted, getting into the car and settling in the passenger seat. ethan who was still bowing, felt his anger rise, his face darkening with annoyance. the old man was definitely pushing his buttons. the man beside him was already fuming, but ethan stopped them, patting each of their shoulder to calm them down. "let him go," he muttered, nodding towards them. the man followed hir order unwillingly as he sat beside the driver, and as the car pulled away, a tense silence fell over them. viper ronin kept his eyes closed, and ethan couldn''t help but feel a surge of disdain. "this old man was so calm and quiet, is he dead?" he said inwardly full of contempt but he didn''t say anything aloud as the ride continued in silence. when they arrived at the mansion, ethan got out first and opened the door for viper. "master viper, we have arrived. please come in, the boss is inside waiting for your presence" he said respectfully. the old man then exited the car and walked along the pathway leading to the door, treating ethan as if he were an invisible air. ethan held his tongue from cursing, knowing his boss was inside. inside the hall, two grand seats were positioned on a platform at the staircase. jonathan sat on one of the seats, smoking a cigar. lining the pathway leading to the platform, members of the black serpent gang stood facing opposite each other on either side of the red carpet. these were clearly the inner members of the gang. jonathan, who was leisurely smoking, saw the old man and immediately recognized him. he hurriedly stood up from his seat, a wide smile spreading across his face. "master viper ronin, you actually arrived so early. please have a seat," he said warmly, gesturing towards a seat on the platform. viper ronin, seeing the humble treatment, felt a surge of pride and arrogance. he nodded curtly and sat down. jonathan''s underlings was very displeased and angry at the old man''s attitude, as they stared daggers at him. however, jonathan remained unfazed, knowing that someone of viper''s caliber had every right to be arrogant. he then sat at the other seat and asked, filled with pleasantries, "master viper ronin, what do you want to drink? we have tea here that was imported from the us. i guarantee that you will love it," jonathan voiced out. viper ronin just waved his hand in denial his face was adorned with a smile. "no need for that," he said. "i''m only here for the money. no need for the ceremony. also, what kind of help do you need to invite me?" he inquired, his voice calm. hearing this, jonathan then answered stating his purpose for hiring him, "master viper, it''s because we are in need of your power to deal with someone." "oh, who could it be, to make you spend a billion to invite me?" the old man inquired, caressing his beard. "it''s to deal with the protector of benjamin. i heard he''s very strong and can even dodge bullets. can you handle him alone while we finish benjamin?" jonathan said menacingly. ethan who was on the side of jonathan also knew there was a strong protector guarding benjamin. rumor had it that he was so fast, that he could dodge a flurry of bullet in midair and even twist thick steel with his bare hands. that protector was a middle-aged man with a powerful aura, but the old man in front of him looked so malnourished, like he was in the last stage of his diabetes. if he wasn''t careful, a strong gust of wind might just knock him over! the old man, not caring about the contempt from ethan''s gaze, just snorted in reply, "hmph, the guy you''re referring to is just a master of inner strength. i can deal with him by just lifting my small finger," viper ronin said arrogantly. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 91 Grandmaster [Edited] hearing the arrogant tone, ethan couldn''t help but scoff. "the only thing that''s going to be defeated by a finger is you," he cursed inwardly, his disdain evident.however, jonathan caught the sound of his scoff, his expression darkening. viper ronin the guest that he had hired, also noticed the disdain, turning his menacing gaze toward ethan. "ethan, please show respect to our guest," jonathan said firmly, reprimanding his subordinate. despite being scolded, ethan showed no remorse, his defiance was very much evident in the way he stood. taking a deep breath, he finally spoke up. "boss, i respect you, but that guy is strong, and this old man? i don''t see anything special about him. why are you lowering yourself to his level? and spending a billion? that''s practically all the wealth our gang has accumulated over the years! if this goes south, won''t we be the ones to suffer?" his tone was firm, his displeasure clear as he stared at the old man. jonathan''s jaw tightened, as anger flashed in his eyes. ''if he doesn''t understand the real power of a martial artist, he should just keep his mouth shut,'' jonathan thought, barely holding back his frustration. discover hidden tales at empire jonathan was on the verge of losing his temper, ready to reprimand ethan and demand an apology. sea??h th§× n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. however, viper ronin raised a hand, signaling him to stop, his expression playful as he turned his gaze toward ethan. "so, you''re saying that just because i''m old, i''ll become nothing but a fodder in a fight? is that what you mean?" viper ronin asked, pursing his lips with a mocking smile. ethan, standing beside jonathan, sneered at the remark and responded without hesitation. "of course! you''re going up against a man known for dodging bullets, and he looks like he''s still in his prime. you, on the other hand, look like you''re on your last legs. why wouldn''t i be skeptical?" jonathan''s face darkened hearing this, his anger was boiling over. ethan''s disrespectful words were like fuel to the fire, and he looked as if he were ready to lash out. but since he was stopped by viper ronin, he knows that this old man will make him broadened his horizons also him. ethan had only heard rumors about viper ronin''s skills, but rumors are just rumors after all. "alright then," viper ronin said in a calm tone, his eyes locking onto ethan''s. "if you''re so curious about my capabilities, grab a gun and shoot me." standing up from his seat, viper ronin exuded an air of confidence, his gaze playful yet powerful. he had encountered countless ignorant fools in his lifetime, and now that he had the chance to silence one in spectacular fashion, he wasn''t about to pass it up. ethan froze for a moment, stunned by the audacious request. but his hesitation quickly turned into a vicious grin. "don''t back out of your words, old man," he sneered, stepping down from the platform. he walked toward one of the nearby subordinates and held out his hand, "hand me a gun," ethan commanded. the subordinate, a man with tattoos sprawled across his face, was momentarily taken aback but quickly complied. reaching for the firearm holstered at his hip, he passed it to ethan without a word. he also felt a growing dissatisfaction with the old man, who carried himself with an air of superiority in front of his bosses. a part of him craved to see this arrogant elder humbled and put in his place. after taking the gun, ethan''s gaze shifted to viper ronin, who stood tall and imposing on the platform, looking down at him as though he were nothing more than an insect. ethan smirked coldly, his grip tightening on the weapon, "you''re not going to back down from your words, right?" he asked, his tone laced with mockery. viper ronin responded with a hearty laugh, his demeanor calm and unshaken, even with a loaded gun now aimed at him. "kid, don''t make me laugh," he said, his voice resonating with authority. "it''s just a gun. go ahead and shoot. even if you brought a rifle, the result would be the same." ethan snorted just dismissively from his words, "you asked for it," he said, raising the gun and aiming the muzzle directly at the old man. he pulled the trigger, and the gun roared to life, sparks flying as the bullet tore through the air with blinding speed, invisible to the naked eye. the subordinates gathered below the platform could barely contain their excitement, anticipating the sight of the old man writhing in pain. ethan, too, smirked, waiting to see the terror in viper ronin''s eyes¡ªa proof to be that the old man wasn''t as extraordinary as he claimed to be. even jonathan, standing to the side, felt a surge of curiosity and anticipation. he wanted to witness, firsthand, the legendary skills of a real life grandmaster. as the trigger clicked and the bullet sped toward him, viper ronin remained as calm as still water. with unhurried precision, he raised his hand and extended his index finger. the crowd watched in disbelief as the bullet collided with his fingertip, seemingly stopped mid-flight. the scene that ethan and the others were expecting a bloody moment did not appear, their faces revealed a ghastly expression felt like they were seeing a ghost. jonathan stood frozen in awe, his face alight with amazement. the sight before him was almost too surreal to believe. the old man, with nothing but an outstretched index finger, had stopped the bullet mid-air. the projectile hovered for a split second, the tip pressed firmly against his fingertip, as though it had struck an impenetrable wall. without so much as flinching, viper ronin casually caught the bullet in his hand. with a slight squeeze, he crushed it effortlessly. as he opened his palm, the bullet crumbled into tiny scraps, falling to the floor like discarded shreds of paper. ethan''s face turned ghostly pale, his mouth agape as he stammered, "t-that''s impossible... how¡ªhow can someone like you exist? stopping a bullet... this isn''t human!" his voice trembled as he swallowed hard, his expression a mix of disbelief and terror. viper ronin couldn''t help but let out a deep, rumbling chuckle, his arrogant smirk growing wider as he surveyed the stunned faces around him. "if you can''t accept reality, feel free to shoot again," viper ronin said coolly, motioning for ethan to pull the trigger once more. ethan just stood there, dumbfounded, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed. refusing to believe what he saw, he squeezed the trigger again. the gun roared, and another bullet shot through the air. but the old man remained unshaken, effortlessly stopping each bullet with just his index finger. every round fell harmlessly to the ground, the metallic clinking echoing in the room. ethan''s hands began to tremble as his disbelief turned to panic. refusing to give in, he fired again and again, yet every single bullet met the same fate. viper ronin stopped each one as if it were nothing more than a harmless pebble. eventually, the magazine ran dry. the gun clicked, signaling its emptiness. ethan stared at the old man, his expression frozen in terror and awe. it was as if he were gazing upon a god. the black serpent gang, who had been watching with skeptical expressions, were now utterly transfixed. their disdain melted away, replaced by sheer admiration and reverence. what they had just witnessed was beyond anything they could have imagined. suddenly, the sound of clapping broke the tense silence. jonathan rose from his seat, applauding with a hearty laugh. "hahaha, well, ethan, are you satisfied now? put down your gun and apologize to master viper," he commanded, his glare sharp and unwavering. ethan, now stripped of his earlier defiance, he trembled as fear gripped him. the memory of the old man''s effortless display of power was etched deeply into his mind. "i... i''m very sorry, master viper. please forgive this junior for doubting your abilities," he stammered, bowing deeply. sweat poured from his face like a waterfall. viper ronin simply waved his hand dismissively, exuding the calm authority of a grandmaster, "it''s fine. just don''t let your ignorance embarrass you again." relieved, ethan let out a shaky breath. "thank you, master viper," he said, his voice still trembling. jonathan turned back to ethan with a stern expression, "now that master viper has forgiven you, let this be a lesson. i trust that your understanding of the world has expanded today," he said, his tone serious. "remember, don''t judge solely by what you see. reality is often far beyond what your eyes can comprehend." ethan continued to bow deeply, his voice filled with regret, "yes, boss, it was due to my poor eyesight that i couldn''t see how mighty master viper truly is!" he proclaimed loudly. viper ronin smiled slightly, clearly pleased with the praise. settling back into his seat, he looked relaxed, as though he had expected no less. jonathan, noticing the shift in ethan''s demeanor, nodded approvingly. he then motioned for ethan to come up and stand behind him. with respect in his eyes, jonathan turned toward master viper and spoke, his voice carrying a tone of sincerity. "master viper, i want to apologize once again for my subordinate''s lack of foresight. his behavior was inexcusable." viper ronin waved his hand dismissively, his calm demeanor unchanged. "a trivial matter," he said nonchalantly, as though such things were nothing out of the ordinary for him. jonathan, observing the old man''s calm demeanor, couldn''t help but feel a deeper sense of admiration. viper ronin exuded an aura that made it clear he was far beyond the reach of ordinary people. "so, about the plan, master viper," jonathan began, clasping his hands together and giving them a thoughtful stroke. "you''ll handle any potential trouble, especially with benjamin''s protector. if any unforeseen crises arise during the operation, please take care of it." viper ronin nodded calmly, "don''t worry. as long as i''m here, your operation will go smoothly. and as for the man you mentioned, the one at the peak of inner strength¡ªhe''s nothing more than an ant in my eyes." his voice was steady and composed, yet it carried an undeniable authority. jonathan smiled widely, his confidence soaring after witnessing the old man''s incredible abilities. with viper ronin at his side, he was now certain his plan would succeed. ethan, standing beside jonathan, remained silent. he was already feeling embarrassed for his earlier actions, and now, with the realization of the old man''s overwhelming strength, he couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of shame. still, a part of him was relieved¡ªnow that he knew viper ronin was on their side, victory was already in their grasps. "ethan," jonathan commanded, his tone sharp and decisive. "initiate the plan. tell the men at the abandoned factory to prepare. and keep an eye on that woman¡ªcapture her. do anything and use whatever means necessary, just don''t get caught." jonathan''s smile was cold, carrying a ruthless edge. ethan, though still humbled, nodded in acknowledgment. he then turned and walked off the platform, as the black serpent gang members following him in silent. Chapter 92 Kidnapped [Edited] alexander, who was busy serving the customers, had no idea that trouble was silently approaching.it seemed that women, both young and old, were drawn to him like bees and he was honey. his charm was undeniable, and even the simple waiter''s suit he wore couldn''t hide the magnetic aura he exuded. "young man, could i have a glass of water?" a middle-aged woman asked, her voice laced with interest. alexander nodded politely and, with graceful steps, walked over to her table. he set down the cup and pitcher to theirs. "thank you, young man," she said, her eyes twinkling as she glanced up at him. "are you planning to become a celebrity? i know a lot of people in the industry. if you''re interested, i could support you. what do you say?" the woman, slightly plump and a bit older, still possessed a certain charm, her smile was sultry and inviting the auntie in front of him looks like she was rich and well off, but alexander denied the invitation with a smile. "i''m sorry, auntie, but i''m not interested in becoming a celebrity. it would be too much of a hassle for me," alexander said politely, offering a warm smile. the middle-aged woman''s face fell slightly, her smile turning wistful, "i see... well, if you ever change your mind, just let me know," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of disappointment. alexander nodded respectfully, bowing slightly, before turning to continue serving the other customers. just at the opposite from her, a woman couldn''t help but laugh, aiming at the woman who had just spoken with alexander. "hahaha, you''re planning to make that handsome young man your boy toy, huh? keep dreaming. if he''s working in a place like this, despite his looks, that just means he has integrity." the middle-aged woman shot her a sharp look, crossing her arms defensively, "hmph, don''t think i don''t know you''re just as interested as i am. i can practically see your eyes bulging from staring at him so much. we''re the same. but i''m much more courageous than you," she retorted with a smug grin. the woman across from him didn''t deny it; after all, that was exactly what she had been hoping for. both women were widows, and they couldn''t help but sigh, disappointed that the handsome young man hadn''t accepted their offers. sophia and claire, who were behind the counter, noticed the situation and couldn''t help but chuckle as alexander walked toward them, handing over another note for an order. hearing their giggles clearly aimed at him, he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "what are you two laughing at?" he asked, looking between them. "hehe, don''t tell me you''re planning to have a sugar mommy, to take care of you?" claire teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "i mean, they''re clearly interested in you. you know, if you accepted, making thousands would be as easy as eating rice." alexander furrowed his brows, then flashed a seductive smile, his eyes sharp looking at her. "why would i want a rich woman when you''re already standing right in front of me? serving you is ten times better." claire froze for a moment, her smile faltering as her face turned bright red. a puff of smoke seemed to materialize above her head in her flustered state. "you... you actually developed a glib tongue," claire stammered, her voice a mix of shame and embarrassment. "and you even have the nerve to tease the younger sister of your boss? but since i''m in a good mood, i''ll let it slide." she spoke. her heart fluttered, a tight feeling in her chest at his compliment. she puffed out her cheeks and retorted, "also, who do you think you are, trying to be my boy toy? keep dreaming." "yeah, yeah," alexander responded with a pitiful pout, "i get it. young miss, standards are sky high. how could someone like me, just a lowly waiter, even think i could be worthy of such a privilege?" claire, seeing this, was sorrowful. she was scared seeing him hurting his self-esteem. she was about to comfort him when she saw his lips filled with amusement. experience new stories on empire "you''re hateful! you dare to act so pitiful in front of me and dared to trick me. move!" claire said, she walked past him, hitting his shoulder as she tried to hide her flustered expression. sophia, on the side, just chuckled seeing this scene. she took the note and passed it towards her father. the two didn''t talk, and when alexander glanced at claire, she just looked at him and puffed her cheeks, glancing sideways. he just smiled wryly as he continued serving the customers. finally, work was done, and claire was still angry with him. when he received his salary, he bid his farewell towards her, but she just crossed her arms as she looked back. alexander let out a sigh as he left the restaurant. claire, watching him go, couldn''t shake the irritation bubbling inside her. he hadn''t even tried to console her or offer an apology for his teasing. the fact that he just left made her even angrier. weasley, standing nearby and witnessing the whole scene unfold, couldn''t help but notice the expression on claire''s face. the one that reminded him of a wife angry at her husband for leaving without saying a word. "tsundere," he muttered under his breath, too quiet to be heard. but the words slipped out before he could stop himself, and he quickly covered his mouth in shock. claire, her temper already flaring, caught the tail end of his remark. the word "tsundere" struck a nerve, and her face flushed with even more frustration. "who''s a tsundere?" she snapped, her finger pointed at him like a weapon. "i''m not a tsundere, you big fat old man!" she retorted, glaring at him fiercely. weasley, now a little taken aback by her outburst, felt his anger stir, but he quickly reined it in. arguing with a kid would only make him look older, so he took a deep breath and calmed himself. he wasn''t even fat and old, but this girl was cursing him like that. "i said you''re a tsundere," he said with a smile, looking at her with a gleeful look. claire, whose eyes turned bloodshot, rushed towards him with wrath, "hey, hey claire, what are you doing? stop! hey. i''m telling your sister if you continue to act like this," weasley said as claire bit his arm, making him wail in pain. alexander had already hailed a taxi to go back home, but before he did that, he went to the nearest retail store and bought some chips and drinks, especially for children. far away, in a tall building, valentine sat alone in her office chair, examining the documents in her hands. when she saw the time, she stretched her arms and yawned, stating with sleepy eyes, "finally, my work is done." work hadn''t been as busy lately, giving her more free time. suddenly, a woman with long black hair entered the office. "boss, i''ve completed the report and everything is in order. there were no issues," she said, handing over the document. valentine just nodded her head as she stood up and took the documents. after reading the contents inside, she closed the folder and said, "put this in my drawer, and also, can you organize my room since i have to go back home. it''s so boring staying in this office all day," valentine said, with a lazy face. her assistant just followed her command. she knew that her boss was a lazy person, but if there were some troubles in the company, she became a totally different person, managing its way to solve a problem no matter how troublesome it was. valentine picked up her purse from the table, exiting her office, stepping into the elevator, and pressed the button for the first floor. as it descended, she arrived at the lowest floor. her employee greeted her as she walked out gracefully. the two security guards opened the door for her as valentine stepped out, her heels clicking against the pavement. her car was parked across the street, and she began to walk towards the road. "big brother, the woman is out. it''s time," the man in the driver''s seat, wearing a robber''s mask, whispered urgently. in the back seat, the others began preparing. the man who was called "big brother" put on his mask and motioned for the others to take out their guns to prepare for any troubles. the white van roared to life, its engine growling as it sped toward valentine''s current location. oblivious to the approaching danger, valentine stood at the curb, waiting for the traffic lights to turn green so she could cross. suddenly, the roar of an engine cut through the place, and valentine froze. a white van screeched to a halt in front of her. her heart raced as she immediately recognized what was happening. without a second thought, she spun around and bolted, but before she could make it far, the van''s sliding door opened, and the big man in the robber''s suit was on her in an instant. "no! let go of me, you beast!" she cried out, twisting in his iron grip as his hands wrapped around her waist. "beautiful lady, stay calm. my gun doesn''t have eyes," he warned, his voice cold and menacing. valentine felt the cold press of a hard object against her back, and her body tensed. she knew the man meant business, so she stopped fighting. meanwhile, the security guards stationed outside, witnessing their boss being taken, quickly drew their guns and aimed them at the kidnapper, their expressions filled with alarm. here''s a revised version to improve readability and tension: "if you shoot, i will shoot your beautiful ceo to the ground," he bellowed coldly, causing the security guards to freeze in place, unsure of what to do. the kidnapper took a step back, then forcefully shoved valentine into the van. she hit the hard interior with a painful thud, groaning in agony. "drive!" he commanded, and the driver slammed his foot on the accelerator, speeding away. the security guards, in a panic, quickly called the police. as the alarm was raised, a city-wide search was immediately initiated. meanwhile, the van continued to race through the heart of the city, where it easily attracted attention. but when it reached a bridge that spanned above the road, the men inside quickly executed their plan. they stripped the white van of its branding, revealing a black vehicle beneath, and swapped out the license plates. once they had completed the transformation, they turned around and made their way back, passing through the police vehicles speeding in the opposite direction. s§×ar?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the driver let out a sigh of relief as the last of the sirens faded behind them, "that worked," he muttered, his grip tightening on the wheel. the police, still unaware of the switch, were left searching blindly for the white van, completely missing the black vehicle as it blended seamlessly into the traffic. Chapter 93 [Edited] when the traffic was clear, the van got onto the mountain road, where vehicles had become increasingly few.there are two ways to the mountains. one goes left, which is the way to the innermost part of the mountain. as the van drove deeper into the area, it passed through an open gate where several men were stationed to guard the entrance. when the gangsters saw the van arrive, smiles spread across their faces, while some of them lounged around the premises. this only meant one thing, the operation was successful. the van then went inside what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. inside the van, valentine did not panic; her face was calm. if they kidnapped her, then that only meant they needed something from her, so she had to calm down and see what it was. when she felt the van began to slow down and stopped, the fear inside her began to stir. since she did not know what their purpose was. "ohh, miss beautiful. we have arrived," the man who pulled and forcefully threw her into the van said. looking at the man valentine remained a cold face, as the man just looked at her with a smile. the big man then slid the door open as all of them walked out into the van. valentine, who was left inside, did not want to go out. seeing this, the big man with the mask pulled her out of the van as valentine stumbled to the ground. the man did not care as he slid the door closed. "this will be your new home from now on, miss ceo." the man chuckled as valentine glanced at the place. s§×ar?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. she can see the interior of an abandoned warehouse. the warehouse is large and spacious, with a high ceiling supported by metal beams. the walls are made of concrete and covered in graffiti. the floor is littered with debris, including broken pieces of wood, metal, and other discarded items. several large, rusted metal containers and machinery are scattered around the space. what she found odd is that there is a big sofa with red carpet for the flooring. there are also some led light stands surrounding that place. seeing this, the man removed his mask and grinned at valentine, "do you love it? that''s where the filming will happen," he said. hearing this, valentine''s eyes began to waver as she thought about what was going to happen to her. "don''t worry; you can still say prayers, but you better pour it all out right now. because what you are going to think later is nothing but despair," he said with a lewd smile as valentine''s face turned pale. "go ahead and take her to the sofa," the man instructed the two men, who also removed their masks. being held from left to right, valentine struggled from the two gangs'' grasp. "let go of me, you criminals," she exclaimed loudly; the two who were having a hard time controlling her began to become irritated. when suddenly, a hand came flying as it directly slapped her face, creating a pah sound. her cheeks was swollen as her eyes were in a daze after the slap, the big man just looked at her coldly and said. "don''t fight back if you do. a slap is not the only thing that will happen to you," he threatened. valentine, who was still frozen, was pushed in the back by the man to continue his walk. she could only compromise as she walked towards the couch, with the two men following her in the back. "fix the lights," the big man said to the two, and they nodded their heads. they then directed the led stand lights at her, making her slightly blind. the man then took out his phone. "big brother, can we watch," the man, with the aura of a gang, asked. looking back, the big man smiled as he responded, "sure, the more the merrier. call all of our brothers to come and have a look." he then switched his attention to valentine, who was clutching the foam of the sofa. she trembled uncontrollably, but she had to be strong. the more a woman shows fear during this situation, the more the man will enjoy it, so she had to act tough. "since miss valentine would enjoy it to have her very own fans watch, right," he voiced with a smile. but what he received was just a glare from her, this did not anger him but made him excited. the thug who asked this was very happy. "thank you, big brother. i''ll call our brother to watch the fun," he said as he left the warehouse. after a few moments, when he came back, a total of 40-50 men entered the warehouse. valentine, seeing this, could only hope that help would arrive sooner or later. "well, then, brothers, you better enjoy this scene, " the man bellowed, receiving cheers from those behind him. staring at valentine, he opened the camera and clicked the video button. "now, then, miss valentine, this video will be sent to your father. so first off, why don''t you take off your suit so he will know that our intentions are not good," he said lewdly as he positioned the angle of the camera to get a good view. hearing this valentine was appalled as she covered her white suit with her arms and shook her head. seeing this, the people in the back frowned, and even the big man who was filming was also angry. "take it off now, or i''ll do it myself! " the man shouted, and valentine could only lower her head, not taking his words. "you bitch, hey, you hold the phone and record this for me," he said to the little guy beside him. passing the camera, he walked with heavy strides. his breathing was heavy as he looked at valentine with fire burning in his eyes. arriving in front of her, he opened his mouth to speak again. "last chance, take it off, or i will do it!" he said calmly. valentine then lifted his head as he looked at him coldly, "even if you kill me right now, i will not act disgracefully to tarnish my own self," she replied to his words with venom. experience tales at empire "then so be it," the big man snorted, gripping her chin strongly pulling her up in the process. her jaw and cheeks hurt from the tough hand, her eyes began to turn watery as her breathing became rapid. the two big hands then began to unbutton her suit, making her frightened as she tried to push him away. feeling her struggles, the big man was angered by it as he pushed her back on the couch, making her back ache from impact. "ahhh," she groaned in pain, but the man slapped her other cheek, making the left and right swollen. the man then continued to unbutton the suit as she continued to fight back, but the man just held both of her hands up as she could only wriggle her legs. her eyes were red as she tried to stop him, but she couldn''t do it with her little strength. finally, the upper part was open, revealing her cleavage. as the man continued all the way down her perfect figure was in full display. "damn, those boobs are delicious," one of the spectators exclaimed, looking at her big breast, which is covered by her bra. when it was fully opened, the man threw her clothes away. looking down, she could see the look of despair in her face. "not so tough now, are you, hah! you really deserved to be one of the beauties in this city. with that perfect figure and big boobies me, and my brothers would very much enjoy ravaging you. hahaha," he spat in her face. valentine could only lower her head in shame as she covered her exposed bras with her hands. the man then returned back to where he stood as he took the camera, "look at this, your daughter has now been abducted by us. you better come here fast, or it will be too late," he said to the camera as he angles the pointer to valentine. "hey, you bitch, stop covering your breast. if you don''t listen to me again, i will have to remove it. then we will see," the man threatened. valentine, hearing this, had no choice, feeling reluctant. she still spread her arms, as she squeezed the foam showing her curves openly. the man then videoed everything as he instructed her again to look at the camera. even though she was unwilling, she had to do it. she just has to wait for his dad to come and bring his uncle. she knows how powerful his uncle was, so she''s not worried one bit if his father were to come. looking at the camera, her eyes became livid, filled with vitality and confidence. "don''t make us wait, old man," he said lastly as he went to the message and delivered the video to valentine''s father. Chapter 94 [Edited] It was already 7 pm., so you could see that the sun was about to set. In a villa, in a study room, a middle-aged man can be seen walking back and forth holding the phone.Then the phone rang, and he answered it: "How is it, Willian? Did you find any clue about my daughter?" Benjamin Valentine''s father said to the phone. His voice was heavy when he received a call that his daughter was kidnapped just outside of her company. He was angry as he quickly deployed all of his resources to find his daughter, but an hour had already passed, and no clues had been found. "Not yet, Benjamin. We have been trying to locate the van. But according to a citizen who was just across the bridge at that time, he saw that a van had changed its disguise to a black one. This is our only lead for now to find the location of young Miss," William uttered as he sat in the passenger seat. A police officer beside him is the driver, and they follow the direction that the person pointed at. However, the city is so big that they have no idea when they pass the direction that the guy pointed at. There are lots of roads, and they don''t know where to go next. "I see. Thank you, William. Please do your best," Benjamin replied, not blaming them. The one who had to be blame is him, he had gone soft that many of his enemies dared to kidnap her daughter. If he had at least hired some professional bodyguards, this would not have happened. "You don''t need to thank me, Benjamin. I did nothing. I''ll call you back when we find some clues about Miss Valentine," William replied. Benjamin thanked him again as he ended the call. He stopped and looked at the floor, clearly trying to figure out which mastermind had caused this. His mind was racing, which made his movement a little dizzy. The person standing straight, like a soldier, giving off the feeling of being strong is none other than the so-called protector, who his enemies are talking about to deal with. "Boss, why don''t you calm down for a bit. We know that if they kidnapped Miss Valentine, then that means their target is also you, " the middle-aged man in a butler suit said. Hearing what he said, Benjamin could only shake his head. "It''s hard, Shanks; I''m just worried that she will be treated badly by those kidnappers." he sighed as since her daughter''s safety was on the line Shanks, who was its name, did not reply since he was also worried, but he let his mind calm down since panicking in this current situation is not good. Benjamin then glanced at Shanks. He is a retired soldier who was in his 50s. He was a commander in the army, but he retired due to something. No one knows the reason, as he only replied to the higher-ups that he had to pay his debt. But Benjamin knows exactly the reason for that: it is to repay her daughter. since she is out of the battlefield. Her daughter, who is just 11 years old, was suffering from cancer. Since he was on the battlefield then, he could not go back even if he swam the ocean. The situation was critical, and he was most needed, but he could only send money to his little brother to take care of her daughter. When the war was finished in the borders he was devastated from what he saw when he got back. Her daughter''s life was actually hanging in the thread, and she was very much close to dying. The only thing that made her daughter alive from now, was because of Benjamin who was in the hospital at that time to visit her wife. He cared deeply for Shanks''s daughter, so he hired skilled doctors to look after her. When he learned that the little girl had cancer, he felt pity for her situation. The little girl also told him stories about his father being a cool soldier, which made him understand the man''s job. But leaving her daughter alone is not a responsible man. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So when the little girl was on his deathbed, Shanks was filled with tears and regret as she saw her in the hospital bed. Her face was pale but her smile was as beautiful as ever. When Shanks saw this scene he felt his heart being pierced by thousands of needles, even getting hit by the bullet is not as painful as this. Benjamin then gave him some time to talk and enjoy the last moment with her daughter. The little girl then recounted how Benjamin and Valentine came to visit her and brought her some toys to enjoy. They even wanted to adopt her, but she declined since he had a father. But because of her cancer that began to spread, surgery was not an option anymore since her body was very weak. Shanks can still remember her daughter''s words, "Dad, Uncle Benjamin, and sister Valentine are good people; please take care of them when I''m gone. Just consider this your repayment hehe" she said with a giggle as she kissed his cheeks. Seeing her daughter look, he could only offer a smile, but his heart felt like it was dying, and that was the last moment he had a conversation with her daughter. After that, he asked the hospital about his cousins, but no one came to visit, making his eyes turn blood red. His gratitude towards the Lancaster family knows no bounds since if it wasn''t for them, he would not have seen her daughter, even if it was in her last moment. So, before he went back to the camp, he had his revenge on his brother. Even if they were blood-related, he hated this brother of his for being so greedy. But he had no choice at that time about who would take care of her daughter. After that a murder case happened but no one knows who did it, Benjamin after hearing this news in the tv. He exactly had an idea of who it was, and in just a few days, he saw the little child''s father come into his door. He offered to become their family bodyguard, but Benjamin wanted to deny it since Shanks held a high position in the army. But the man insisted, and Benjamin accepted him into his home. Suddenly, as the two of them were wondering about something, Benjamin''s phone began to ring again. He was delighted, thinking that it must be William who was calling again and must have some news. But when he looked, it was not actually a call but a message. Opening, the veins in his forehead began to pop out as his eyes turned bloodshot, and his hand was trembling looking at the video that was sent. Seeing his expression, he knew something bad had happened. He then went towards Benjamin as he looked at the phone. His killing intent surged as his eyes were filled with the intention to kill, what they saw is how Valentine being forced to take off her suit with her bra remaining. Stay tuned to empire They can even hear her screams as she struggles, and the man''s voice makes this command. What made their anger rise even more was when Valentine was slapped in the face. After finishing the video, he sends a message. [Where are you! I''ll swear if you at least touch a strand of her hair, I promised you that I will chop off your hand] Benjamin''s message was filled with threat. The man who was waiting for the reply felt amused as he read the text. [Hahaha, don''t scare me, old man. Here''s the location XXXXX. You better come here in less than 30 minutes, or you will find her in an unreasonable way. Also, don''t call the police; this will put us in a dead end. You know what will happen if we are in that situation, right?] The man replied as he closed his phone as Benjamin kept sending messages, but he received no reply. "Master Benjamin, I think he had already put down his phone. Let''s go to the location and save young Miss," Shanks commented, since time was running out. Benjamin nodded, and when they exited the door, as they went down the stairs, Claire was in the living room. She was feeling trouble as well, her anxious face was livid as she just stared in the tv in a daze. When she heard a footstep, she saw his father and his uncle, Shanks. "Dad, did you find big sister? I want to come along," she said as she stood up and blocked his way. "Claire, this is not the right time. Just stay here while me and your uncle get your sister back," he responded as he called the two bodyguards just outside his door. "Don''t let Claire leave the house; call all of the rest to protect this villa. If an unknown and suspicious person came, do what it needed to be done," he said to the them as they heeded his words. Claire hearing this was even more anxious, "Is sister suffering right now?" she exclaimed inwardly as she wanted to come along, but the bodyguards stopped her by just standing in front of her. "Young miss, this is the master''s command. Please forgive us," one of the men said. Claire glared at him and shouted, "Move out of my way!" She tried to pass through but was blocked. Seeing her father leave with the family car, she could only cry as she sat on the sofa, feeling aggrieved. She took her phone, and an image of a man appeared in her mind. Finding his contact number, she called him, needing someone to talk to. Chapter 95 Alexander did not go home when he left the restaurant. First, he went to the market to buy many groceries.He also bought eggs, vegetables, meat, and rice. He did not forget to buy some seasonings and, of course, Mountain Dew and other juices that are healthy for the kids. The seller was very happy because the young man in front of him was not just handsome but rich. He at least bought half of their stock, making her very happy. "Do you have a car, young man? We also offer deliveries, that is, if you want to," the auntie said to him. Alexander heard this, thought for a moment, and yes, he had no car. He then looked at the kind auntie and smiled. "Sure, auntie, how much would it be for the transportation fee?" Alexander asked, since what he bought is like 3 weeks'' worth of food, and the drinks like Mountain Dew, Coke, Royal, Yakult, and many more will be able to last more than 3 weeks, that is if they don''t drink water. The middle-aged woman just chuckled at him. "You silly child, consider this a free service for buying so much in my shop," she responded. Hearing what he said, Alexander shook his head. "Auntie, I''m really happy for you to give me a free ride, but please give me a price. It will make me feel bad if you don''t," he said pitifully since he did not want to owe the kind auntie a favor. Since it''s also a waste of time for her just to transport his bought goods, "Hehe, don''t worry about that. If I say it''s free, it''s free. What about this if you come and buy more goods? This auntie will offer you a 10% discount. So consider this free ride as our agreement," the auntie said gleefully. Alexander smiled crudely as he accepted it in the end. If he wanted to resupply, he could just buy here and let them transport the goods. "Okay, Auntie, but who is going to drive?" Jeff asked since he had only seen her in this shop. When he said this, the woman took a deep breath before she shouted. "AN-THO-NY!" Her voice was so loud that the whole shop felt like it was trembling. Suddenly, the door in the back sprung open, and a man with a sleepy and pale face appeared running so silly. He arrived just beside the woman standing straight. "Yes, honey, did you call me?" he said, sweat all over his forehead. The woman, seeing his silly expression, just snorted, "Hmph, you have been sleeping all day while I left to manage the shop alone. Go ahead and give this young man a ride. He''s our big customer, so act courteously. Got it!" she commanded. The man vigorously nodded his head. Seeing this, the woman glanced towards Alexander with a smile, returning her good attitude, making Alexander feel the coldness on his back. "This auntie is really like a book. She changes attitude so fast, like turning a page," Jeff said, looking at the man, who is the woman''s husband. When Alexander looked at the man, the man glanced back at him, feeling something unique from their brief eye contact. The sensation he experienced was unlike anything a normal person could evoke in that moment, leaving him curious. But that feeling disappeared as it appeared so suddenly, which made him a little bit skeptical, wondering if what he felt was just his imagination. The man who just glanced at him and looked away felt something odd about this kid in front of him, but he just shook his head since he did not feel anything after that. "Oh yeah, young man. This is my husband. His name is Anthony. He will be giving you a ride. Is that okay with you?" the woman said, cupping her hands and looking at the young man''s face. Alexander waved his hands for the auntie for him to not worry about it. "It''s good, Auntie; this is just perfect," he responded. The kind auntie in front of him is not really that bad-looking. She is in her mid-30s and has long, wavy brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, with a small purple ribbon holding it in place. Her eyes are striking blue, and she has a warm, gentle smile. She is wearing a light purple t-shirt underneath a brown apron, giving the impression of someone who knows how to manage a shop. Because she had a shop, ok? While the man''s ears who was being pulled and reprimanded, by the woman due to him slacking and sleeping during work time. The man who is the woman''s husband is in his 40s. He has dark, almost black hair pulled back in a loose bun. He has a strong jawline and a hint of stubble on his chin. His eyes are a striking blue, and his expression is silly, with an awkward smile. He wore a black long-sleeve complemented by his trousers. He also wears a gold necklace with a small pendant. "Can you stop pulling my ears? You''re making me embarrassed at the kid," He said, feeling depressed. His image was ruined. "Hmph, what''s the point of your image? You don''t look very responsible just by looking at your face. Hayss, I don''t even know why I fell in love with you in the first place," she snorted as she let go. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hurry and help the young man carry the stuff; I think he can''t lift it," said Rebecca. Anthony simply nodded his head and effortlessly lifted one of the boxes as if it weighed nothing. This made Alexander curious, confirming that what he had felt earlier was not just his imagination. "Don''t worry, Auntie, I can help Uncle carry this," Alexander said to the woman. Rebecca was about to stop him, but she was shocked to see him carry it. Well, it was not heavy since it was about 50 kg, but what surprised her was. The young man in front of her did not even frown or struggle a bit when he lifted it. Anthony, seeing this, was also surprised. "You''re actually strong, huh? Don''t tell me you hit the gym," Anthony asked him. Jeff just replied respectfully, "Well, sometimes I go to the gym. It is heavy but not to the point of being unliftable." He was neither humble nor arrogant. Anthony just smiled as the two of them got out from the back of the shop and placed it on the back of an old red pickup truck. Anthony went back inside the shop again to carry the last one. As they were about to go, Rebecca held Anthony in their hands. "Be careful on the way, okay?" she said in a caring tone. Anthony just smiled warmly, hearing her concerned tone. Her wife can be like a tigress sometimes, but this is one reason why he fell in love with her in the first place, since behind that is a sweet girl. "Don''t worry about what will happen to me," he replied with a laugh. Rebecca just smiled as she glanced at Alexander. "You too, young man. Hurry and go now so you can come back early, the same as the young man," she said as they then bid farewell. Alexander then sat in the passenger seat, and Anthony in the driver''s seat. When the engine roared, they left the place. While they were on the road, Anthony shifted his look in the road and looked at Alexander. "Oh yeah, young man, I don''t know your name yet," He inquired. Alexander, hearing this, replied respectfully, "My name is Alexander Ashbourne, Uncle Anthony," he replied. Hearing this, the man hit the brakes as he looked at him with wide eyes; he trembled for a moment as his breathing became rapid. "What did you say your name was again?" he said in a stuttering voice. Taken aback by the sudden change in the uncle''s expression, he replied with a blank face. "Alexander Ashbourne, is their something wrong with my name?" he asked since he felt something odd from his look. Hearing this confirmation, he could not help but shake his head and return to his normal self. "Haha, there''s nothing wrong with your name, young Alexander. Now, where would you like me to take you?" Anthony asked with a polite yet curious smile. Alexander nodded in agreement since there was really no problem with his name. He then told him his address. Hearing this, Anthony''s expression shifted to surprise. Summit Heights. That name alone was enough to send a ripple of shock through him. Summit Heights wasn''t just a location¡ªit was the residence of individuals with the most powerful backgrounds in the country. This wasn''t a place for ordinary people at all. "My assumptions weren''t wrong, then," Anthony thought, a mix of awe and confusion crossing his mind. "But from his expression just now, it doesn''t seem like he even recognizes his family name," which made him question himself. Anthony''s mind then wandered back to an unforgettable memory burned into his soul¡ªa legendary battle in the mountain ranges. At that time, he had been nothing more than a spectator, watching in stunned silence as forces beyond imagination clashed. The three most powerful sects in the country had united, a rare alliance forged out of desperation. Each sect leader wielded strength capable of shattering mountains and redirecting rivers, their power almost godlike. And yet, their opponent was a single man. One man who stood against all of them. An old man stood there, dressed neatly in a butler''s uniform. They saw the butler calmly lift a single hand, his palm outstretched. The air itself seemed to freeze. In an instant, the gathered sect leaders were brought to their knees, blood spilling from their mouths. Their faces contorted in agony, unable even to raise their heads. Watching through a telescope, Anthony felt a chill run down his spine as sweat poured down his face. The same was true for others observing from afar. They couldn''t believe their eyes. With a simple gesture¡ªraising his hand and opening his palm¡ªthe butler brought three powerful sect leaders to their knees. Anthony''s grip on the telescope tightened. His mind was racing with shock. "How can someone with such terrifying power exist? And he''s just a servant?" He exclaimed as he realized how small he was in the grand scheme of things. The butler''s voice boomed across the battlefield, clear and loud as if carried on the wind itself. "You dare challenge the Ashbourne family with this pitiful strength? You can''t even handle me, a mere servant, yet you had the nerve to unite and cause trouble?" Even though Anthony was miles away, the words echoed so clearly in his ears that it was as though the butler was standing right beside him. The old man lowered his hand, releasing a wave of bloodlust that spread across the battlefield, blanketing everything within five miles. People with weaker wills collapsed immediately, unconscious, while those who remained standing looked pale and shaken, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. "Take this as your only warning," the butler said, his voice calm and composed. "Our master has ordered us not to interfere in worldly affairs. But if we ever choose to act, do you seriously think you can stop us?" Discover hidden tales at empire The gathered sect leaders didn''t need to be told twice. They turned and fled, their pride shattered. Those still able to move carried their unconscious core disciples off the battlefield, their heads bowed in shame. Chapter 96 [Edited] That happened about 15 years ago, but the name of that family was gravely engraved in his memories.As they arrived at ''Summit Heights'', the security guard, Kent, saw it was Alexander. He greeted him and opened the gate to welcome him in. Anthony, who had a glimpse of the inside, was amazed, of course, even though he went to many places, appreciating the scenery he liked. "Young man, you so rich, hah. So where is your villa at?'' he said as he glanced at him. "Hehe, uncle, it''s just a gift from a friend of mine. Just go straight up that road and take the left one," Alexander said humbly as he told him the way. Anthony just smiled because of his humble attitude, which is neither showoff nor arrogant. He then followed Alexander''s instructions. When they arrived at the gate and saw that it was their boss, they opened the gate, letting them in. Anthony, seeing the vastness of this place, was momentarily stunned. "Young man, I have to admit you are really talented for a friend to offer this kind of manor. If I am right, this manor is called ''Evercrest Manor'' and worth at least tens of billions," Anthony exclaimed as he took a look at that place. After arriving at the front door of the house, they both got out, and Anthony placed the box of supplies on the concrete ground. "Should I help you carry it inside?" Anthony asked. Alexander just shook his head since he was only here to deliver¡ªand not a carrier. "No need, uncle, but if you want to drink some cold water inside or rest, you are welcome," he offered with a smile. Anthony started to like the young man even more, but he did not accept it since he had to get back to help his wife. "Maybe next time, young man. But hey, don''t forget: if you want to buy some groceries, just come to our shop, okay?" Anthony uttered as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "Of course," he replied, sensing the enthusiasm of this uncle. "Good, good," Anthony laughed as he patted his shoulder. Suddenly, the door opened, and a woman in a white plain dress came into view. When Anthony saw this, he was shocked. The woman in front of him felt like it was carved out from a painting¡ªa goddess in human clothing. He could not help but hiss as he looked at Alexander in praise. "Young man, I can''t believe your girlfriend is so beautiful. I better get going now so you two can have fun, haha," he said with a grin as he walked back with a laugh. Aeloria hearing what the man said made her blush, as she just stood there too embarrassed to move. "Gi... Girlfriend?" she uttered in a low voice, touching both of her cheeks, which were red as tomatoes. Alexander saw that the uncle had left with the pickup truck and could not help but sigh, based on what he had said. Looking back, he saw Aeloria''s face, which made him want to tease her even more. He walked towards her with a grin, holding her waist and pulling her close. "Why don''t you want to?" he asked, their faces just inches apart, causing her cheeks to puff out with smoke. Aeloria didn''t understand why, after everything that had happened, she still felt so embarrassed¡ªespecially when he touched her. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Of course... I... want to," she stuttered, quickly looking down. Alexander could not help but feel warm as he kissed her forehead. Aeloria then felt a warm sensation as he felt the softness of Alexander''s lips. "Alright, alright, I''m just teasing you. But I really meant what I said," he chuckled. Aeloria was angry at first when she heard what he said, but she was very happy when she heard the second statement. "Oh yeah, I bought supplies for tonight''s dinner and some drinks for you and Anya to drink. Trust me, you will love it," he said, as he pointed at the three-wrapped boxes. Not knowing what was inside, Alexander did not explain as he carried the three boxes but stacked them up together. When they arrived, Alexander and Aeloria went to the kitchen and placed the boxes on the floor. He slowly opened one of the boxes, revealing its contents. The first box was filled with meat inside a plastic bag to avoid leakage. "What kind of meat is this, Alex?" she asked, glancing at it. "This is the meat of cows, chickens, goats, and pigs. I''ll put it in the freezer first so it will not rot," he stated as he carried it. Discover hidden tales at empire Opening the door, he saw another area of the kitchen with many freezers. He then filled it with meat. As he went back to the kitchen, he opened another box, which contained a wide range of vegetables and fruits, as well as rice. Like apples, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, everything that can be eaten, but for the record, not literally anything. But there''s a lot, so he also put it in a deep freezer. If you don''t know, a deep freezer is just a freezer that can freeze fruit to slow down the enzymatic process that causes the rotness of fruit or vegetables. When he got back, he opened the last one. When he opened it, the little girl popped up from his side. "Big brother Alex, is that called drinks?" Anya asked, looking at the different colors of the drinks. Alexander was surprised to hear this. "How did you know these are called drinks?" he asked the little girl, who was hugging his leg. "Well, when Anya was watching TV, I saw a lot of this drink appear. So I thought that you also bought some drinks for Anya," she replied cutely. This made Alexander laugh as he ruffled her hair. ''TVs are really a great source of information for little kids to understand the world,'' he thought. "That''s right! Anya is very smart to know what this drink is called just by watching TV. Here, why don''t you try taking a sip?" Alexander said, picking up a drink named ''Chukie,'' a chocolate beverage. He first inserted a straw into the drink before passing it to her. "Suck it through here," he instructed, pointing at the straw. Anya nodded her head and took a sip, ''Please don''t think of something bad.'' As the little girl tasted the drink. As Anya''s tongue brushed against the juice, a wave of rich, creamy flavor flooded her senses. The chocolate beverage, Chukie, had a smooth, velvety texture that danced across her taste buds. It was sweet but not overly so, with a hint of cocoa bitterness that perfectly balanced the sweetness. The drink was refreshing and indulgent, a delightful treat that made her want to drink it more. As she ran out of breath to suck the straw, she stopped and let go of the straw, "Big brother, Alex, this is so tasty." she muttered with sparkling eyes continuing what she was doing. Alexander chuckled at this. "If you want, just go and take some in the refrigerator, but don''t drink so much since it''s bad for your health," he said strictly. "Aeloria, keep an eye on her, okay? It''s okay to drink, but not a lot since she''s still young," he whispered in her ear, and Aeloria heeded his words. Alexander then took out a bottle of Mountain Dew and passed it to her. "Why don''t you try this drink? This is my favorite, if you want to know," he said. Aeloria took the plastic bottle of Mountain Dew from Alexander, her eyes widening as she examined its vibrant green color. The bottle shimmered under the light, and the fizzy beverage bubbled enticingly. She hesitated for a moment, as she unscrewed the cap and brought it to her lips. As Aeloria took her first sip, the cool liquid danced on her tongue. The taste was a striking contrast to anything she had experienced before. It was sweet but with a sharp, citrusy tang that invigorated her senses. The carbonation fizzed lightly in her mouth, adding a weird texture to the drink. Each sip brought a refreshing burst of lemon-lime flavor, leaving a subtle, crisp aftertaste that lingered pleasantly. She glanced up at Alexander, a smile spreading across her face. "This is really good, Alex!" she exclaimed, savoring the unique and refreshing taste of the Mountain Dew. "This tastes so different from what I''ve tasted before; this so-called drink is really amazing," she finished. "I know, right? Its taste will even become more tasty if it''s cold. So I''m going to put it in the refrigerator first, " he uttered as he took all of the drinks to the refrigerator. As Aeloria observed the vibrant array of colors in the plastic bottles lined up in front of her, curiosity sparked within her. Each bottle glimmered with its own unique hue, ranging from deep crimson to bright citrus, enticing her look. Turning to Alexander, the person filling the fridge, she inquired, "Do the different colors of the drinks affect their taste?" Her eyes flicked from one shade to another, captivated by how each one seemed to show their difference. Chapter 97 The call [I''m very sorry for the repeated chapters over the past few days. School and other responsibilities have been overwhelming, and I tried to complete the event but failed to keep up with my workload.I promise this won''t happen again, as I want to offer you all a better reading experience. Please forgive me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!] Hearing her question, Alexander nodded and replied, "Yes, every drink here has a unique taste. For example, this black one, ''Coke,'' tastes different from this one, ''Mountain Dew.'' And this orange drink here is called ''Royal.'' If you want to find your favorite flavor, just give them a try." Aeloria tilted her head slightly, indicating she understood. "Alright then, let''s cook dinner for tonight," Alexander said to the two. However, just as he was about to start, Aeloria stopped him. "Why don''t I cook tonight? You just got home from work," Aeloria suggested with a kind smile. Her offer left Alexander momentarily stunned. "You? But do you know how to use this equipment? What happens if you accidentally spill yourself?" Alexander asked, feeling a bit skeptical. Hearing Alexander''s words, Aeloria felt a pang of indignation as she puffed up her cheeks. ''How dare he say that to me!'' she thought. As a woman, there was one thing she believed they excelled at compared to men, that is cooking. When Alexander had left earlier that morning, she hadn''t spent her time idly. She had been reading books from the library, learning how to use various appliances like the refrigerator, stove, laundry machine, and more. However, she hadn''t started experimenting right away. What if the information in those books wasn''t reliable? To ensure she got it right, she decided to watch instructional videos on the television instead. Once Anya had fallen asleep, Aeloria focused on understanding how to use the stove. When she successfully turned it on for the first time, a wave of happiness washed over her. Encouraged by her small victory, she began familiarizing herself with the functions of different cooking tools: pots, frying pans, saucepans, Dutch ovens, saut¨¦ pans, stockpots, woks, skillets, roasting pans, and even pressure cookers. So, she literally took her time to learn all this stuff so she wouldn''t trouble Alex with it. She was very much fascinated by Alexander''s hometown when he read the book. There was no such thing that is recorded as guilds, beasts, flying dragons, and more that could be found in her world. She wanted to ask him, but she decided to just ask it later since she wasn''t really in a hurry to know about it. If she was really in another world then, it''s okay as long as they are living a good life. She couldn''t help but pinch Alexander''s waist, making him stunned in surprise. He couldn''t help but make a pained expression, even though it didn''t hurt. He had to act. "Hmph, I didn''t waste my time, if you want to know," she pouted cutely, making Alexander frozen from her actions. "Alright, I''m sorry. Can you let go of your hand now?" he said wryly, seeing his expression. Aeloria smiled as she let go. "But what are you going to cook?" Alexander asked, not knowing what kind of dish she learned. Aeloria just giggled as she replied, "A lot, why don''t you sit down..." Aeloria was interrupted as Alexander''s phone rang. Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that it was Claire. He was confused since it was already night as he wondered why she was calling. "Excuse me for a moment," Alexander said towards Aeloria, which she nodded her head. Alexander then just went outside the kitchen door as he answered the call. But what made him frown when he answered it, he heard her sobbing. "Alex... Boo hoo... my sister... was kidnapped," she said to the call. Alexander felt that his mind exploded when he heard this. His face turned serious as he replied calmly. "Do you have any idea who did it?" Alexander asked, as his other hand squeezed into a fist. "I don''t know, but my father and Uncle Shanks know. But they just left a few minutes ago, likely trying to go to the place where my sister was being captive. I''m very worried about their situation, especially my sister. Alexander, what should I do?" she cried at the other end of the phone. Alexander felt his blood boil as he replied to comfort her. "Don''t worry Claire, your sister will be fine. Trust me." Claire on the sofa couldn''t help but feel good, not knowing why is that. Alexander tried his best to make her feel good as the call ended. He felt that his vision darkened as a gloomy expression adorned his face. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When he returned, Aeloria could see his expression as she stood up and walked towards him, feeling concerned. "Alex, is there something wrong? Why is your face so gloomy?" she asked. Alexander hurriedly offered a smile as he responded. "Don''t worry about me, Aeloria. Just cook your own meal tonight. I will be going for an errand tonight. After that, just go to sleep and don''t wait for me, okay?" he said to show that she had nothing to be concerned about. Aeloria saw that he was hiding something but didn''t try to pry about it. So, she took his hand and looked at him in the face, offering a warm smile. "If you need some help, you can just ask me, okay?" Aeloria said to him, and he just smiled in reply. "I will be going for now. Don''t sleep late, okay? Especially you little girl, try to sleep early, got it. Watching TV late at night is not good for your health," Alexander said to Anya, as he leaned down to pinch her cheeks, making the little girl look at him very confused but just nod her head. Alexander then stood up straight as he looked back at Aeloria, whose face was still somewhat worried, making him sigh. Alexander walked up to Aeloria with a grin, gently pinching her cheeks on both sides and pulling them slightly, making her face puff up in a silly way. Her flustered expression only made him laugh harder, his deep chuckles filling the room. Aeloria''s brows furrowed in mock anger, and she hit his chest with her delicate fists. Though her strikes carried no real force, they were enough to convey her irritation. Alexander let her vent before resting his hands firmly on her shoulders. His playful demeanor softened into something more comforting as he looked into her eyes. "Now, that''s enough of that," he said with a warm smile. "Stop worrying so much, okay? It''s not as big of a problem as you think. I''ll take care of everything, so relax a little." Before she could respond, he reached out and gave her nose a gentle pinch, adding, "Alright?" Aeloria''s face flushed a deep shade of red, and she nodded quietly, her earlier anger melting away into shy submission. Satisfied, Alexander let her go, bidding her a quick farewell as he left the kitchen. But as he stepped outside, his smile faded, and his expression grew serious. What was I doing back there? he thought, a hint of self-consciousness creeping in. "It felt like I was consoling a wife..." He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Though he was only 18 and Aeloria was in her 20s, he knew he needed to keep his emotions and actions in check. As he walked further from the house, his demeanor shifted completely. His lightheartedness was gone, replaced by a sharp, focused aura. His crimson eyes glowed faintly as a steely resolve took over his features. As Alexander approached the gate, Andre Bon and Lewis, the guards stationed there, immediately straightened their postures. Their eyes locked onto their young boss, but what truly unnerved them was the faint yet overwhelming energy radiating from him. Even though it was just a subtle leak of power, it was enough to send shivers down their spines. Without needing a word, they opened the gate. As Alexander stepped through, he paused briefly, his gaze sharp but calm. "Uncles, please guard my manor. I''ll be back soon," he said, his tone composed yet authoritative. Before they could respond, Alexander vanished. It wasn''t a sprint or a blur¡ªit was as if he had completely disappeared into thin air. Andre Bon and Lewis froze, their eyes wide with disbelief. For a moment, neither spoke, the weight of what they had just witnessed hanging heavily in the air. Finally, Andre Bon managed to stammer, swallowing hard. "That¡­ That was unreal. Did the young boss just vanish?" Lewis, standing beside him, was equally astonished but quickly pieced together his thoughts. "I think¡­ I think the young boss might be one of those martial artists. You know, like the commanders we saw back in the army." Andre Bon''s brows furrowed as he nodded slowly, but then Lewis added, "But judging by that speed? His strength is far beyond theirs. He''s on an entirely different level." Andre Bon exhaled heavily, his breath shaky. "We''re guarding a place led by someone like that? Just who is the young boss?" The two stood in silence for a moment, the realization of their young boss abilities sinking in. They exchanged a glance, both filled with awe and a hint of pride to serve someone strong, knowing they were in the presence of someone far more extraordinary than they had ever imagined. "Well, I think it was so obvious now. Since he owns this manor, then that only means the boss is not normal, even if he''s young. Let''s just guard this place, and from his expression and the pressure he gives, we know that some trouble must have occurred," Lewis explained. Alexander''s figure then appeared in the mountain range. In just a few seconds, his speed was so fast that he was outside the ''Summit Heights''. He first stopped in the road to think for a moment. His mind wandered, trying to think who had the power to kidnap his boss, Valentine. But after a long time, he had no idea who could it be. Then, an idea just emerged in his mind. "Should I try to ask those people? Well, since I''m already on their hate list, making another trouble is not a problem," Alexander thought inwardly. His target to ask for information is the Black Serpent Gang, since they are involved in bad things. So, maybe they had lots of people in the city to know who kidnapped her boss. But what he didn''t know was that this group was the one who actually kidnapped her boss. Remembering the location of the bar, his figure turned into a blur as he ran towards the foot of the mountain, leaving many afterimages. What he didn''t know was that in the trees, someone was looking at him with a surprised look on his face. "Seventh level of the Spirit Convergence Stage! Has the Young Master become a cultivator?" The man exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment. Chapter 99 Levels for Cultivation Earlier this morning, Yuno had already taken the flight in their place. Despite having the ability to fly to Iloilo in just seconds, he obediently followed his master''s commands and took the flight silently.As a servant he must follow orders unquestioningly, he was unaware that Max, his master and the father of Alexander, seated in the room, had recalled something important. "Wait, can''t Yuno fly? Why did I waste my time to book a flight for him?" Max exclaimed, looking at the shut door. "Hmm, maybe acting like a normal person had made me gotten used to it," He stated as the scene changed where Yuno got off the plane. He then followed the coordinates from which his young master was residing in, with their ability to gather information. It''s just a piece of cake for them to know where the young master resides. When he arrived at the place, he hid his presence, even Alexander could not detect him. He was very happy to see his young master living well. He wanted to show up but stopped himself, since he was greatly instructed that he must not show himself. He could also see that his young master looked so mature and manly since the image he remembered when he was a child was a delicate and cute kid. "Young master, really grow up this past few years," Yuno muttered, with tears sliding down his cheeks. But what made him shocked is that there was actually a beautiful woman residing in his young master place, and another one is a cute little child. He never considered the possibility that the little girl could be his young master''s daughter, given that the mother was human and the Ashbourne family''s lineage and race deemed childbirth a miracle. However, if she were really just a normal human girl, it would no longer be a miracle, as no child would result from their union, regardless of the number of attempts. "The young master''s residence is truly magnificent," Yuno mused. The records suggested it was an investment from his childhood, but that seemed unlikely. Since who could invest in a manor worth billions at such a young age? Yet, Yuno didn''t dwell on it; what mattered was that his young master had a home. He was watching this outside the house and in the window, without Aeloria, Anya, and Alexander noticing. When Alexander then got to work, he was stunned since he had a big manor, but why need to work in a restaurant? He greatly wondered if his young master had a weird fetish to still pretend to be a poor person. When Alexander rode the pickup truck, he was also following, and heard their conversation. He was surprised that a man at the last stage of the Martial Warrior Stage seemed to know the family he served. This is when he saw the scene where his young master revealed his strength. When he disappeared at the gate, the fluctuation caused Yuno to detect his current level. Which is the Spirit Convergence Stage. At this stage, the Core Nexus was already formed, and what is left is to fill that with Aether in order to advance to the next level. If Alexander just walked away normally, Yuno would not have noticed this. "How did the young master break through to the Martial Warrior Stage without a proper meditation technique to draw aether into the body? His bloodline is still sealed, yet his talent is already formidable. I can''t imagine how monstrous it would be if he went back home to unseal it," Yuno exclaimed excitedly. To understand the cultivation levels better, here is the cultivation scaling level. Martial Warrior Stage (10 Levels of Body Refinement) Skin Strengthening - Developing a tougher, more resilient skin. Muscle Building - Enhancing muscle density and strength. Tendon Conditioning - Increasing flexibility and reaction speed. Bone Hardening - Strengthening bones to withstand pressure. Marrow Fortification - Improving bone marrow for better regeneration. Organ Enhancement - Fortifying internal organs for stamina. Digestive Boost - Strengthening the digestive system for energy. Meridian Activation - Enhancing the main meridians for energy flow. Vein Refinement - Enhancing the body''s energy pathways to improve overall energy flow and control. Full Body Refinement - Achieving complete physical and spiritual harmony. Spirit Convergence Stage Level 1-9: Drawing Aether into the body, storing it in the Core Nexus. The Core Nexus is located in the lower abdomen, just below the navel. It''s the central point where the body''s energy converges and is stored, serving as the primary reservoir and control center for Aether. Think of it as the core of your power, where you gather and focus your strength. [If you recall the moment he absorbed the Aether stone, that was when he formed the Core Nexus.] Spirit Core Stage Level 1-9: Transforming liquid Aether into a Spirit Core. Body Aperture Stage: Primary: 120 energy channels Intermediate: 250 energy channels Advanced: 400 energy channels Peak: 500-800 energy channels [The more energy channels a cultivator unlocks, the stronger they become. However, the ability to unlock numerous channels depends on one''s talent. Some cultivators only reach an intermediate stage before advancing, which results in a weaker foundation.] Mortal Ascendance Stage Level 1-9: Aether is stored in cells, transforming the body from mortal to spirit body. Planetary Sovereign Stage Level 1-9: Mastery over Aether flow, enabling planetary jumps. [In this level, traveling to space is possible, and the cultivator can also breathe in space.] Stellar Command Stage Level 1- 9: Gaining basic control over spatial dimensions, allowing the creation of personal spatial domains. Galactic Confluence Stage Level 1- 9: Breaking down celestial cores into stardust, enhancing planetary energies and strength. Universal Unification Stage 1-9 Celestial Nebula Stage 1-9 Celestial Sovereign Stage Level 1-9: Integrating the essence of mental strength into the physical body and core energy source, achieving a perfect unity of mind, body, and spirit Celestial Lord Stage 1-9: Have an inner world. [Celestial Lords form cosmic runes and can borrow the laws of the universe.] lifespan - 100 billion years Universal Monarch Stage: They need to condense laws of origin. lifespan - 500 billion years Monarchs can completely control the laws of the universe. They are the masters of laws. If you want to become a Monarch, you need to master universal law. Most Monarchs usually master only a single law. With that one mastery the cultivator can become something like that. [For instance, mastery of the Law of Death allows a cultivator to resurrect the dead and achieve immortality. However, such mastery cannot be attained merely by declaring it.] Eternal Dominion Stage Level 1-9: Mastery of cosmic laws, achieving near-immortality. Life Span - 1 trillion years S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boundless - Requires a single condensation core of all celestial arts, granting near-omnipotence. Lifespan - Infinite ... (Share your thoughts on what you think about this level scaling) In the car, Benjamin sat in the passenger seat as Shanks drove towards the mountain. They continued driving until they reached the abandoned factory. At the gate, they observed several armed men with weapons such as AK rifles. Despite this, Benjamin felt no fear, his trust in Shanks had no bounds. He had faced many death situations, but till today, he still survived. "Master, let''s go down," Shanks spoke as Benjamin nodded his head. Getting out of the car, the men were pointing the AKs at them. Their fingers were on the triggers, ready to shoot if they saw any movement. Shanks was in the front, covering Benjamin. His face was calm, not scared at all. Then, a man just behind those men holding the guns walked towards them. "Put down your guns. We''ve been waiting for you, Master Benjamin, and your mysterious protector. Why don''t you go inside? Miss Valentine has been waiting for you. Why don''t you have a look at her right now?" The man, who was well-built, carrying only a pistol attached to his pants, said. He was smoking a tobacco like a cool mafia, even though he wasn''t really cool. Shanks, hearing this, really wanted to beat them all up. But Benjamin held him back as he calmed down. "Show us the way," Benjamin said to the guy. "Sure," he responded as the gate opened. The two then followed the guy. There were lots of people inside the place, some playing poker or arm wrestling while others lazing around. The guy then took them inside a warehouse, and when the door was opened, Shanks'' anger flared. Even Benjamin felt his breathing turn hot, as his nostrils flared, seeing his daughter''s pitiful state. She was on the sofa and was being taken pictures of that bad man while she was left powerless. She wasn''t touched, so you guys can calm down since there''s no "netorare" tag. Shanks, who was about to move, was stopped by a shout. "If you move at least an inch without my permission, then I can''t fathom that the young miss''s head will go Bosh!" the big man said, who was behind Valentine, pointing the muzzle of the gun at the back of her head. Benjamin held Shanks'' hand to calm him down and help him consider the overall situation. They were at a disadvantage because there were many guns in the surrounding area. "If I can get within about 30 meters, I can save the young lady," Shanks whispered to Benjamin. Upon hearing this, Benjamin nodded silently, formulating a plan. Shanks was confident that by concentrating the energy in his legs, he could burst forth at a speed ten times that of a human. Covering the 30 meters in just a blink of an eye, Benjamin closed his eyes as the plan solidified in his mind. Chapter 100 Power Benjamin''s mind worked quickly, analyzing the room and their precarious situation.The big man behind Valentine was tense, his finger hovering over the trigger of the gun pressed to her head. Valentine seeing his father, the look of fear in her eyes disappear when she also saw the glimpse of his uncle Shanks. "Dad!" she bellowed, which made the man frowned from the shout as he struck the muzzle of the gun a little in the back of her head making her in pain. Benjamin clenched his teeth as the big man threatened her daughter, his tone cold and deadly. "Stop shouting. Your voice is annoying," the man said, making Valentine bite her lip in frustration. Around them, armed men lounged casually, some standing guard, ready to draw their guns at the slightest movement. He stole a glance at Shanks, whose calm exterior belied the simmering rage beneath. Benjamin knew they needed a good plan. One wrong move, and Valentine''s life would be over in an instant. "Shanks, listen," Benjamin whispered, keeping his eyes on the big man. "We need a distraction, something to draw his attention long enough for you to close in. Let me handle it. Just be ready." Shanks gave a small nod, his gaze unwavering, his body coiled like a spring ready to explode into action. Benjamin turned his attention to the leader, the man with the gun pointed at Valentine. "Alright, let''s talk," he said in a clear, commanding voice, raising his hands slightly to signal he meant no harm. The big man narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious but curios enough to listen. "Talk? What could you possibly say to change this situation, old man?" Benjamin just smiled faintly, "You don''t want to do this. You must be a hired killer, right? And I''m sure your boss values negotiation over unnecessary bloodshed. Killing her now would be a waste, don''t you think? After all, leverage is only valuable while it''s alive." The big man hearing this could not but laugh for a moment, the faintest grin was crossing his face. Around the room, a few of the armed men stopped what they were doing to watch the exchange filled with amusement. Benjamin was unaware that their boss intended to have them all killed in the most gruesome way. "You think you can sweet-talk your way out of this?" the big man scoffed, but his grip on Valentine shifted slightly. Benjamin took a step forward, keeping his movements deliberate. "I think you''re smarter than you look. You know who I am, don''t you? I''ve got the kind of connections that could make you very rich¡ªor very dead¡ªdepending on how this plays out." The big man chuckled darkly, clearly amused but also slightly intrigued. "And what exactly are you offering?" he said playing with him, since their boss is about to arrive. Benjamin tilted his head slightly, pretending to mull it over. "I''ll offer you something priceless: an opportunity to walk out of this alive." The big man barked out a laugh, the sound filling the room. It was the reaction Benjamin had hoped for, an overconfident man who enjoyed being the center of attention. As Benjamin continued speaking, he subtly shifted his body, angling himself away from Shanks to give him a clearer path to Valentine. "Of course, that depends on whether you''ve got the guts to negotiate or if you''re just a trigger-happy thug." That final jab was enough. The big man''s face twisted with annoyance as he stepped forward, his focus entirely on Benjamin now. "You''ve got some nerve, old man. Keep talking, and I might just¡ª" He never finished the sentence. Not knowing that Shanks was stepping a little closer to close the distance and when it was finally met. He exploded into motion, his body a blur as he closed the distance in an instant. The armed men barely had time to react as Shanks crossed the thirty meters separating him from Valentine, his speed defying human comprehension. Before the big man could turn, Shanks was already there. His hand struck like iron, disarming the gun in a fluid motion while his other hand delivered a bone-crushing blow to the man''s chest, sending him sprawling. The room erupted into chaos as the armed men scrambled to respond, but Shanks was already shielding Valentine, his eyes glowing with lethal intent. When the big man was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud, the armed men quickly raised their guns and unleashed a flurry of bullets. Shanks, fully prepared, grabbed Valentine and moved in an instant, reaching Benjamin and pulling him away as bullets rained down around them. The big man, blood dripping down his face, watched the scene with burning anger. Realization hit him¡ªhe had been completely outplayed. Wiping the blood from his lips, he grabbed an AK from one of his men and unleashed a barrage of bullets. Even with Valentine and Benjamin in his arms, Shanks dodged effortlessly, weaving through the hail of gunfire. Over 50 guns aimed at his back, yet none could touch him. "Shit! The rumors were true, this guy can dodge bullets like a damn magician!" the big man bellowed, frustration growing as he reloaded his rifle and took aim again. But Shanks moved in a zigzag, dodging every shot with precision, making it impossible to land a hit. Shanks then saw a steel crate stacking together. Gripping tightly the two hands, he rushed towards the place seeing what he was planning the big man shouted to aim in advance. But it was still no use. Shanks was too fast, reaching the steel crates just in time. Bullets rained down, sparking as they struck the metal. Valentine covered her ears as she lay on the ground, trembling. Benjamin hugged her protectively from behind, shielding her in case any stray bullet managed to break through. Shanks crouched low behind the crates, his sharp eyes scanning the chaotic scene. Bullets continued to ricochet around him, but he remained calm and focused. "Stay down. and don''t move," he said firmly, glancing back at Valentine and Benjamin before turning his attention to the armed men. Without another word, Shanks darted out of cover, his speed so blinding that the nearest gunmen barely had time to react. Valentine and Benjamin had no time to react as he moved so fast. "Over there! Shoot him!" one of them yelled. Shanks zigzagged across the floor, the sound of gunfire chasing after him. He leaped onto a nearby stack of crates, his powerful legs propelling him upward. From his elevated position, he spotted his first target¡ªa man reloading his AK. Shanks sprang forward, grabbing the rifle barrel mid-air, twisting it with a sharp motion. The man''s finger squeezed the trigger reflexively, sending a spray of bullets into two of his own allies before Shanks yanked the gun free and struck him across the temple with the stock. The man collapsed as Shanks hit the ground, rifle now in hand. "Take him down!" shouted another, but Shanks was already moving. He rolled into cover behind a steel drum, popped out, and fired a single shot. The bullet whizzed through the air, striking a gunman squarely between the eyes. Without pausing, he adjusted his aim and fired again, hitting another in the throat. The man gurgled and fell, his weapon clattering uselessly to the ground. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The remaining men scattered, trying to reposition themselves, but Shanks wouldn''t allow it. He dashed toward a group attempting to take cover behind a forklift. As one man peeked out to aim, Shanks launched the rifle at him like a spear, the heavy stock slamming into his jaw and sending him sprawling. Unarmed but undeterred, Shanks closed the distance with the other two. The first raised his gun to fire, but Shanks grabbed the barrel and twisted it upward, forcing the man to shoot into the ceiling. With a sharp kick to the man''s knee, Shanks dropped him to the ground, then delivered a precise strike to the neck, rendering him unconscious. The last man swung the butt of his rifle at Shanks, but he ducked effortlessly, countering with an upward palm strike that sent the gunman stumbling back. Shanks followed up with a roundhouse kick to the chest, knocking the man into a stack of crates that toppled over him. By now, the remaining gunmen were panicking. "He''s too fast! Shoot, shoot!" Bullets flew wildly as Shanks dashed between obstacles. He snatched a pistol from one of the fallen men and moved with grace. He slid across the floor, firing as he moved, each shot precise. One man fell with a bullet between his eyes. Another dropped his gun and screamed as a round tore through his shoulder. Shanks ducked behind a crate, reloaded the pistol in a fluid motion, then popped out and fired three more shots. The first hit a man in the chest, the second grazed another''s hand, and the third found its mark in the head of a gunman who had been hiding behind a stack of barrels. With only about 70-75 men remaining and about 20 of them were down, Shanks shifted tactics. He sprinted straight at them, dodging their bullets with quick, unpredictable movements. One man aimed directly at him, only to gasp as Shanks vaulted over a a load bearing post made out of metal and landed behind him. A quick chop to the neck sent the man crumpling. The last four grouped together, their hands shaking as they pointed their rifles at him. "Stay back!" one of them screamed. Shanks smirked, darting to the side. He grabbed a discarded AK from the ground, swung out of cover, and fired a short burst. The bullets struck two men, sending them crashing to the ground. The remaining two tried to retreat, but Shanks was on them in an instant. He fired twice, both shots hitting their marks cleanly. The warehouse fell silent as about 60 men remaining looking at this carnage, the stench of gunpowder lingering in the air. Shanks stood amidst the carnage, his breathing steady as he surveyed the scene. Before he could take another step, a slow, deliberate clap echoed through the room. Clap. Clap. Clap. Shanks turned sharply, his senses was on high alert as a figure emerged from the entranced door, his slow applause filling the tense air. "Well, well," the figure drawled, a smirk playing on its lips. "I must admit, that was quite the performance." he remarked. Chapter 101 The big man and the other gang seeing an older man appeared they were confuse on who he is, but when they saw their boss behind that old man.They were ecstatic since the backup arrived and that means this old man must be the one to deal with this monster that can dodge bullets. Shanks seeing the old man appearance he did not let down his guard, he can feel that behind the old man weak and frail look. Its gaze and the way he looked at him is filled with vitality. Jonathan who was beside the man and seeing the death of his own people felt his heart ached. They were his best people when it comes to killing now over 25% of them were dead. He looked at the man who was holding the AK looking at them filled with coldness, he also shot back not being scared even if he felt his killing intent. Viper Ronin, put his hand on his chin as he surveyed the man in front of him. Other than learning how to used the energy to enhance his speed and strength he found nothing special other than that. His pale lips curved into an amused smile as he spoke, "So you must be the guy who can dodge bullets, a failed gradnmaster if I am right, you should have won this round but too bad you met me" Viper Ronin, bellowed a laugh. Hearing the loud conversation Benjamin and Valentine got out of hiding, as he see the person he most hated the anger in his flowed like a river. "So its actually you, shorty! I''m not surprised since people like you are deemed shameless. No doubt about it," Benjamin bellowed. Hearing the word short, Jonathan''s eyes darkened as he stared daggers at Benjamin. All of those people who mocked him for his height had faith worse than death. Like cutting their legs, making them shorter, Benjamin, not afraid one bit, also glared daggers at him as lightning sparks began to crackle from their gaze. Jonathan then revealed a smile as he looked at him with frostness, "You do know that, in this battle I have the upper hand. Do you really think, that when you say those words you can have a good life after this?" he said his voice laced with venom. Benjamin just laughed hysterically, "Oh no, I''m very scared." he responded with disdain. Seeing this smoke puff up on his forehead, Jonathan''s gaze wandered as it landed on a person, making him smile gleefully. Jonathan then glanced back at Benjamin with a playful look, "That''s right, you are not afraid, but what if what you said was reflected in your daughter?" Hearing what he said Benjamin face darkened, seeing this Jonathan was delighted. "Well, it will be a waste for your daughter''s beauty. So that''s why when this is all done, I will let all of my brothers release their anger on Miss Valentine, I think Miss Valentine would enjoy it as well since she''s a slut, right?" he said, eyeing Valentine. Listening to his disgusting words, Valentine''s face was red with anger as she pointed at him with a shaky hand. Shanks, who heard his foul mouth, looked at him deeply. He exerted a powerful pressure that caused Jonathan to feel heavy all over him. Looking at the man who was looking at him so deadly, he was sweating bullets. Witnessing this, Viper Ronin released his aura as well to deflect his pressure, making Jonathan breathe regularly. Shanks, seeing that his pressure was destroyed, did not care. "You better watch your mouth, or I''ll chop that off and feed it to the dogs. " This is when his aura was fully revealed as a commander on the frontlines. His words and momentum right now carried a lot of power that made Jonathan shake his leg, but for Viper Ronin, hearing what he said was just a joke. "You lived up to your words, you do know that, right? As a martial artist, it must be proven through physical means, not verbal means," Viper said calmly. Hearing what he said, he smirked as Shanks dropped the AK in his hands. When the rifle was about to touch the ground, Shanks burst into great speed as the ground beneathed him trembled. Seeing him closing in the distance with the speed of sound, Viper Ronin also rushed as the both of them exchanged fist. When Viper Ronin threw a fist, Shanks''s fist collided, creating a loud thud that sent small shockwaves through the battlefield. "Don''t even think about hurting my employer while I''m still here," Viper Ronin said calmly. Shanks remained silent, and without hesitation, he launched forward with a sidekick aimed directly at Viper Ronin''s midsection. The old man sidestepped effortlessly, twisting his body with the agility of a viper and countering with a lightning-fast strike to Shanks'' ribs. The impact resounded like a drumbeat, sending Shanks sliding back several feet, his boots carving trails into the cemented ground. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Uncle," Valentine shouted, full of worry. Benjamin, seeing this, was silent as he stared at the battle unfolding, while Benjamin on the side was very happy. "You''re fast," Viper Ronin remarked, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "But speed without precision is a wasted energy." Shanks didn''t respond. Instead, he wiped the corner of his mouth, smearing blood across his cheek, and surged forward again, this time unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches with ferocity. His strikes were relentless, each one aimed to overwhelm, but Viper Ronin moved like water, evading with uncanny fluidity. When the opening presented itself, the old man retaliated. His palm glowed faintly with an eerie green energy as he struck Shanks'' shoulder. The impact wasn''t just physical¡ªit sent a paralyzing wave through Shanks'' arm, forcing him to stagger. "A venom palm," Viper Ronin explained nonchalantly. "It''s my signature technique. Within minutes, your limbs will feel like lead." Shanks gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he adjusted his stance. "Is that all you''ve got, old man?" he taunted, even as he felt the creeping numbness. Viper Ronin''s smile faded as he lunged forward with a series of precise, deadly strikes, each one targeting vital points on Shanks'' body. The younger man blocked as best as he could, but the difference in skill and experience became glaringly obvious. A crushing elbow to the chest sent Shanks to his knees, gasping for air. "You''re outmatched," Viper Ronin said coldly, standing over him. But Shanks wasn''t finished. With sheer force of will, he planted his hands on the ground and pushed himself back to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes burning with fire. "I wasn''t hired to give up," Shanks said, wiping his lips. "If you think this is my limit, you''re mistaken. Now, old man, you''d better be ready¡ªbecause I''m done holding back." The atmosphere shifted as Shanks'' aura flared. His muscles tensed, veins pulsing as he tapped into his core strength. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he steadied himself, his body exuding raw power. Viper Ronin narrowed his eyes, his stance shifting as he prepared for the next round. "Interesting," he muttered. "Show me what you''ve got, boy." The two launched at each other once more, this time unleashing their full arsenal. Shanks'' techniques became heavier and more devastating, his fists and kicks tearing through the air like cannonballs. Meanwhile, Viper Ronin''s movements were sharper and deadlier, each strike aimed to cripple or kill. Shanks roared as he threw a thunderous punch, only for Viper Ronin to deflect it with a twisting parry, countering with his glowing venom palm once again. Shanks ducked under it and retaliated with a spinning kick that grazed the old man''s shoulder, forcing him back slightly. "You''re improving," Viper Ronin admitted, "but this ends now." The old man shifted into a deadly stance, his aura condensing into a visible serpent-like shape around him. "Venom Fang Barrage!" he shouted, striking with rapid, venom-laced blows that seemed to strike from every angle at once. Shanks gritted his teeth, weathering the storm of attacks as best he could, his body battered and bruised. But with every strike he endured, his resolve only strengthened. As the final blow landed, sending Shanks sprawling to the ground, he simply rolled to his side and stood up again, defiantly. His grin, though bloody, was unshaken. "Dad, is uncle going to lose?" Valentine said with tears on her face, seeing this very scene. Benjamin, hearing her cries, comforted her. "Trust your uncle. He''s still not taking the battle seriously. But I think after all that blow, he will be back to his usual self," he said with confidence. He knows that Shanks was holding back, the last he saw that scene is when he fought someone an assassin. He clearly saw the battle and could clearly grasp Shanks''s skill, making him in awe. "Your techniques are impressive," Shanks admitted, cracking his neck. "And if I''m right, you are not a grandmaster, but you change your practice by joining those people with different paths." He said this as he stood there without feeling any pain whatsoever. "If I''m right, when you can''t breakthrough to the grandmaster, you decided to become a cultivator? Am I right?" he said, looking at him, making viper Ronin narrow his eyes. "You''re really unlucky since, I''ve fought a lot of people with the same level as you and get this I never lose. Now it''s time for you to see what true power of a warrior has." When he said this, Shanks aura surged again, brighter and more intense than before, as he prepared turned serious. Chapter 102 The path of a warrior and a cultivator differ in a fundamental way. Warriors get stronger by pushing their bodies to the limit¡ªthrough intense physical training and constant refinement.Cultivators, on the other hand, use specialized breathing techniques to absorb and control spiritual energy, letting them rise beyond normal human boundaries. While warriors can reach impressive levels of strength through sheer hard work and discipline, they eventually hit a natural ceiling. Cultivators, however, can keep growing, tapping into the energy of the world around them and surpassing the limits that hold warriors back. But it doesnt mean that your a warrior you can become a cultivator, one must possessed talent for it. Viper Ronin''s smile faded as he felt the sudden shift in Shanks'' aura. It was overwhelming, primal, and raw, like the roar of a tiger shaking the heavens. The air itself seemed to tremble under the force of the man''s presence, and for the first time in their fight, Viper Ronin''s confidence wavered a little. "What... what is this power?" Viper Ronin muttered, his narrowed eyes betraying his calm expression. Shanks then took a step forward, the ground beneath him cracking and groaning under the weight of his power. His muscles rippled with energy, each movement exuding a destructive force. "Let me show you that a warrior can go toe-to-toe with a cultivator," he said, his voice calm but menacing." "Let me show you what it means to stand against someone who''s forged their strength through sheer will and training." Shanks finished. Without warning, Shanks surged forward, his speed even greater than before. His first strike was a thunderous straight punch that Viper Ronin barely managed to deflect, but the sheer force behind it sent him skidding back. Shanks didn''t stop, he followed with a spinning elbow, aiming for Viper Ronin''s temple. The old man ducked, countering with a swift palm strike aimed at Shanks'' heart. The green venomous glow returned, promising to paralyze on contact. But Shanks twisted his body mid-strike, narrowly evading the blow and retaliating with a devastating upward knee. The impact struck Viper Ronin''s ribcage, sending him flying back several feet. He landed on his feet but stumbled slightly, his breath coming in short gasps. His hand instinctively went to his side, feeling the sharp pain radiating from the strike. "That''s impossible," Viper Ronin hissed. "How can a mere warrior overpower me?"He bellowed with a disbelief face. Shanks didn''t answer. Instead, he crouched low and exploded forward again, instantly closing the distance. His fists became a blur as he unleashed a series of punches, each one carrying the weight of a sledgehammer. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Viper Ronin blocked as best he could, but the force behind each blow made his arms tremble. Shanks'' techniques weren''t just powerful; they were explosive and calculated. Every strike was aimed to exploit a weakness, and every movement was designed to disrupt Viper Ronin''s rhythm. "The Great Tiger Strike!" Shanks roared, his fist glowing faintly as he drove it forward with all his might. The punch collided with Viper Ronin''s hastily raised guard, shattering the defensive stance and sending him hurtling backward. He crashed into a steel pillar, the impact denting the metal and leaving him gasping for air. Seeing this scene the spectators were in awe, it was like watching a freaking movie unfolding before them. "Dad, this... is this Uncle Shanks'' true power?" Valentine uttered as her eyes trembled, looking at the earlier battle. Benjamin nodded his head. He could not help but sigh in relief since the odds of the battle were on their side. "Boss, is the old man going to lose? Should we prepare the backup plan?" Ethan whispered in Jonathan''s ear. Hearing the soft whisper, Jonathan was brought back in his daze. But he felt a little conflicted about whether their backup plan was even going to work. The old man he hired can block bullets with his fingers, so if he was defeated, that means this man can also deflect bullets. "Don''t let our man in the forest get close; tell them that the snipers must be prepared if they saw us leave the warehouse. If Master Viper loses, then we''ll just have to retreat for now." he replied to Ethan, and he accepted his boss''s words since the fight was not over yet. The old man who wasn''t finished yet. He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself back up, his aura flaring as he steadied himself. "You''ll really dare to beat me like this; I admit that you, a warrior, are a strong one," Viper Ronin admitted, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "But I''m not out of tricks," he said gloomily. Viper Ronin then shifted into a low stance, his hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. The serpent-like aura around him grew denser, coiling tightly as if preparing to strike. "Venom Spiral!" he shouted, launching forward with blinding speed. The technique was a flurry of twisting strikes, each one aimed at Shanks'' vital points. The attacks came from every direction, forcing Shanks to rely on his instincts and reflexes. He dodged and parried, but a few strikes managed to graze him, leaving faint green marks on his skin. "I can feel your strength waning," Viper Ronin said smugly, his strikes relentless. But Shanks only grinned through the pain. "Waning? You''ve barely scratched the surface of what I can do." With a burst of energy, Shanks countered. His movements became sharper, more feral, as if channeling the spirit of a tiger. He caught Viper Ronin''s wrist mid-strike, twisting it with brutal efficiency and pulling the old man off balance. With his other hand, Shanks delivered a bone-shattering punch to Viper Ronin''s chest, sending him flying once again. This time, the old man didn''t land gracefully. He tumbled across the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His breathing was labored, his body battered and bruised. Viper Ronin looked at him with a pale face full of disbelief. " You are actually still holding back?" he said as he pointed at him with a shaking hand. Shanks just stood tall, as his aura still raging like a storm. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, the look in his eyes was that of a predator. "Is that all you''ve got, Viper Ronin? If so, you''d better stay down," he said heavily. The battlefield fell silent, the only sound being Viper Ronin''s ragged breaths. From the sidelines, Benjamin clenched his fists in awe, while Valentine''s tears had been replaced by a glimmer of hope. Shanks'' gaze remained fixed on the old man, waiting for his next move. But before anything could happen, a slow, deliberate clapping sound echoed through the space, cutting through the tension like a knife. He was very confused since why was someone clapping again? Viper Ronin, hearing the loud clap, looked at the source. It was a man clad in a gray robe, and it seemed to be a middle-aged man. His face gives off the feeling of someone strong and not to be mess with, and a small leak of his aura can cause the surrounding air to shake. This made Shanks, who was very confident earlier, become serious. The man in front of him is not an easy one. "Is he one of his accomplices?" Shanks muttered. As the man continues to walk step by step, undeterred by the hundreds of gazes. Stepping into the light was a man in his early thirties with a strong, athletic build that radiated power. He wore a sleeveless off-white tunic with black trim, slightly frayed at the edges, tied with a black sash around his waist. His loose pants were tucked into black footwraps, and black wrappings covered his forearms. His expression was that of amusement, and his short, dark hair was slightly messy, adding to his rugged look. That man then stopped just in front of Viper Ronin, looking at Shanks with a grin, "So, you said that a warrior can go toe-to-toe with a cultivator earlier, right?" he said calmly. Viper Ronin, hearing him speak, was happy as he shouted, "Senior Brother, you actually followed me?" he said to the guy. The man looked back, still smiling. "Well, I was bored, and since you are a new disciple of the sect and this is your first mission, I decided to follow you for fun," he said as he put his fingers in his ears, wriggling them inside, trying to find a booger. He was so relaxed that felt like everything in his grasp was under his control, Viper Ronin hearing this was very delighted. He joined this sect just weeks ago, so he was still a newbie. Even though he was old, he was still accepted because he had some talent. But the man in front of him is a core disciple in the sect, and his strength is 10¡ªmaybe 20 times stronger than his. He is not sure, but he knows that being a core disciple of a strong sect is no joke. Shanks''s seeing the man being so carefree angered him a little, but he did not rush. He had to think before he moved since he felt danger. For years on the battlefield, he developed this kind of sense, so he trusted it very much. The man then looked back at Shanks as he stood there with both hands in his pockets. "So can you repeat what you said again? About a warrior can go toe-to-toe?" He stopped smiling, his eyes narrowing. Chapter 103 Shanks, hearing this, did not back down. He responded with a cold look."I meant every word I say. You cultivators are no different than us Warriors. Why don''t you prove if my judgment is wrong?" "Ohh," the man said as he stepped one foot and vanished on the spot like air. Shanks barely blinked before the man vanished from sight. His instincts kicked in, and he sidestepped just as a fist sliced through the air where his head had been a moment ago. The force of the blow created a gust of wind that sent dust scattering across the warehouse floor. "Fast," Shanks muttered, already on high alert. Before he could fully process the attack, the man reappeared, this time delivering a sharp kick to Shanks'' ribs. The blow sent him skidding across the floor, crashing into a stack of crates that toppled over him. Shanks coughed, clutching his side as he pushed himself back to his feet. The man stood casually, hands back in his pockets, a faint smirk on his face. "You''re slower than I expected," he said, his voice calm, almost mocking. Shanks steadied his breath, his aura flaring as he prepared himself. He rushed forward with incredible speed, his fists glowing faintly as he unleashed a series of rapid punches. "Steel Tiger Strike!" he roared, his strikes aimed at the man''s vital points. But the cultivator moved like water, effortlessly dodging each blow with minimal effort. His movements were so fluid and precise that it felt as though he was toying with Shanks. As Shanks threw a powerful right hook, the man caught it mid-air, gripping his fist tightly. "Predictable," the man said with a sigh before twisting Shanks'' arm and delivering a crushing knee to his stomach. The force of the impact made Shanks doubled over, the air leaving his lungs as he stumbled backward. But he didn''t fall. Instead, he planted his feet firmly, his face twisting in pain but his determination unshaken. "You''re tough, I''ll give you that," the man said, still looking relaxed. "But toughness alone doesn''t close the gap between a warrior and a cultivator." Shanks wiped the blood from his lips and took a deep breath. He lunged again, this time feinting a punch before spinning into a powerful sidekick. The blow connected, landing squarely on the man''s chest. But the man didn''t budge. "You call that power?" he mocked, grabbing Shanks'' leg before twisting it and tossing him across the room like a ragdoll. Shanks crashed into the concrete wall, as a spiderwebbing crack formed from the impact. The cultivator didn''t wait, appearing in front of Shanks before he could recover. He drove an elbow into Shanks'' shoulder, followed by a backhanded strike that sent him sprawling across the floor. Shanks groaned as he tried to get up, his body battered and bruised. The pain was overwhelming, but he refused to let it break him. He forced himself to his feet again, his stance shaky but defiant. "Still standing? Impressive," the man said, dusting off his tunic. "But you''re wasting my time." With that, the man''s aura surged, and he vanished once more. Shanks barely had time to react as the cultivator appeared behind him, striking the back of his knee and forcing him to kneel. "Tiger Fist" Shanks roared, spinning into a desperate counterattack, his fists glowing as he unleashed a barrage of strikes. The sheer force of his technique cracked the ground beneath them, sending shockwaves through the air. But the cultivator was unfazed. He deflected each strike with ease, his movements a blur. "Too slow," he said coldly, driving his palm into Shanks'' chest with enough force to send him flying backward. Shanks hit the ground hard, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His body was battered, his breathing ragged, but his eyes still burned with determination. The cultivator stood over him, his expression one of mild disappointment. "Is this the best you can do? I expected more from someone who claims warriors are equal to cultivators." Shanks clenched his fists, his battered body trembling as he tried to push himself up once more. Blood dripped from his mouth, but he refused to back down. "You''re strong," Shanks admitted, his voice hoarse. "But this fight isn''t over yet." The cultivator''s smirk returned. "Bold words from someone lying in the ground." The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the air heavy with tension. Shanks'' body ached, but his resolve remained unbroken. The fight wasn''t over¡ªhe would make sure of that. Shanks forced himself to his feet, his body trembling under the strain of his injuries. Blood trickled down his forehead, and his breaths came in ragged gasps, but his resolve remained unshaken. "This isn''t over," Shanks muttered, his voice low but resolute. The cultivator tilted his head, hands still tucked casually into his pockets. "Still standing? I have to give you credit, warrior¡ªyou''ve got guts. But guts alone won''t save you." Shanks closed his eyes, his aura beginning to shift. His breathing slowed as he focused, pulling every ounce of energy from the depths of his being. Suddenly, his body erupted with a fiery aura, golden and fierce, surging around him like a blazing inferno. The ground beneath him cracked and trembled under the force of his power. His muscles swelled slightly, veins bulging as his strength tripled instantly. "Ten minutes," Shanks whispered to himself. "That''s all I''ve got." The cultivator raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? Finally, getting serious are we? Let''s see what this little trick of yours can do." With a roar, Shanks launched forward, moving faster than ever before. His fist slammed into the cultivator''s guard with such force that it created a shockwave, sending debris flying in all directions. The cultivator staggered slightly, his smirk faltering for the first time. Shanks didn''t give him a chance to recover. He unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes¡ªpunches, kicks, elbows¡ªall with the force of a raging tiger. Each blow cracked the air, and the cultivator was forced to dodge and block with precision, his movements no longer as casual as before. "Steel Tiger Barrage!" Shanks roared, his fists glowing brightly as he delivered a flurry of powerful punches. The cultivator finally looked annoyed, his movements still fluid but noticeably faster as he began countering Shanks'' attacks. "Not bad," he said, deflecting a devastating hook. "But still not enough." With a sharp twist, the cultivator grabbed Shanks'' wrist mid-strike and yanked him forward, delivering a crushing knee to his abdomen. Shanks grunted in pain but didn''t back down. He spun out of the hold, using the momentum to deliver a spinning kick that grazed the cultivator''s jaw. The impact sent the cultivator sliding back a few feet, his expression shifting to mild irritation. "You''re starting to get on my nerves, I''ll give you that as a compliment," the cultivator admitted, brushing his cheek. Shanks didn''t respond. He charged again, his movements wild but powerful, each attack pushing the cultivator further back. For a moment, it seemed like the gap between them was closing. But just as Shanks threw another powerful punch, the cultivator sidestepped effortlessly. He grabbed Shanks'' arm and twisted it behind his back, slamming him face-first into the ground. The golden aura around Shanks flickered slightly as he struggled to break free. "You''re running out of time, aren''t you?" the cultivator said mockingly, pressing his foot onto Shanks'' back. With a roar of defiance, Shanks exploded upward, knocking the cultivator off balance. He turned and delivered an upward punch, his knuckles glowing with raw energy. The cultivator blocked it with one hand, though the force sent him skidding back. He looked at Shanks with a mixture of amusement and boredom. "Is that really all you''ve got?" he said, shaking his head. Shanks'' time was running out. He knew it. His golden aura was already beginning to fade, and his body felt heavier with every second. But he refused to stop. He charged again, pushing himself beyond his limits, delivering a final series of attacks with everything he had left. The cultivator, however, didn''t even get fazed anymore. He dodged and countered with ease, treating Shanks'' power-up as little more than a distraction. As Shanks threw one last desperate punch, the cultivator caught it mid-air, his grip like iron. "Enough," the cultivator said coldly. With a single motion, he drove his fist into Shanks'' chest, the impact sending him flying backward. Shanks crashed into the ground, rolling violently until he came to a stop at Benjamin and Valentine''s feet. His golden aura disappeared entirely, and his body lay motionless, bruised and battered. Valentine gasped, rushing to his side. "Uncle Shanks!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. As she carried him to sit up on the ground. Benjamin knelt beside him; his expression was grim. "You gave everything you had," he said quietly, his fists clenching. The cultivator stood in the distance, his hands back in his pockets, his expression calm and unbothered. "This is the difference between a cultivator and a warrior," he said, his voice echoing through the battlefield. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shanks'' breathing was faint, his body completely spent. But even in his beaten state, his eyes opened slightly, filled with vitality. He had lost, but his will remained unbroken. Chapter 104 The Call "Quite the fighter are you, huh? Are you still not satisfied," the cultivator asked, narrowing his gaze.Shanks did not say anything. He knew that he had lost, and he could accept that. But if he did not stand up now, they would experience something worse than death. When he was about to stand up from Valentine''s arms, he puked up some blood as it dirtied the ground. "Uncle Shanks, please don''t move, or you''ll just make it worse," Valentine sobbed as she placed her face in his chest. Hearing her cries, he really wanted to fight, even if he could just buy them time to escape, but he couldn''t move after using his ultimate technique, and he was in his weakest state now. Jonathan was absolutely delighted to see this. Earlier, they were going to lose, and now they are winning, talk about luck. He could not help but fathom that apart from warriors, there are actually much scarier people known as cultivators. "I must not offend this person," Jonathan swore in his heart. Walking towards the man, he bowed slightly, not lifting his head up, "Master, thank you very much for helping us solve this problem," he said respectfully. The cultivator, seeing this, was amused, as he had a good impression of this short man. "He really knows how to bootlick, and I liked it very much," he said, licking his lips. "You can stand straight. I''m only bored for a moment. Since my junior is hurt, how can I, a senior, stand by?" the cultivator said proudly. Jonathan, where Ethan was already beside him, nodded their head vigorously as they accepted his words. "Can I ask what this esteemed master''s name is?" he said, cupping his hands with a bow to act very respectfully. The man just stood there, knowing that someone would say it, and that someone was none other than Viper Ronin, who stood up. "If you want to know the identity of my senior brother, then open your eyes," Ronin bellowed as he darted both arms to point at the cultivator. "His name is Ronaldo, also known as the Raging Bull. If you want to know, my senior brother is famous when it comes to doing missions, and he is also ranked 42 in the sect, which had thousands of disciples. Now be grateful that your eyes had it''s moment to bask in the sight of the legendary Raging bull," "If you want to know the full strength of my senior brother, he can even stop a full speed heavy truck with just a punch. When he was fighting that guy, my senior brother was not even taking him seriously at all," Viper Ronin explained with pride since he was the junior. Hearing that a heavy-duty truck could be stopped, all of them were shocked. Even Shanks was in awe. He knew that this was not a boast since the man named Ronaldo was just playing with him. Even with his full strength, he is not confident if he can stop it; receiving injuries was just a small guess. "Wow! Master Ronaldo is actually a god-like existence. It is really an honor for myself to talk to an amazing person like you," Jonathan said, cupping both hands and bowing. This made Ronaldo happy, of course, as he stood tall in the center, basking in the spotlight. "So, master, what are we going to do with them?" Jonathan asked, humblely, for his opinion. Ronaldo, being asked, looked at the three who were on the ground, and his eyes lit up. The woman was actually a beauty, making his eyes glisten. "Well, you can do anything you want to the other two, but do you also need this woman?" Ronaldo spoke as he sideglanced at Jonathan. Hearing what he said, Jonathan knows the meaning of his words. He replied with a smile, knowing that this master was interested in Valentine. Benjamin, who was beside Shanks, was in a dilemma. The master in front of him was taking a liking to her daughter. Even Valentine was afraid, since if he really did that to her, she could do nothing but watch. "No, no, we don''t need him, Master Ronaldo. If you are interested in her, then you can have her if you want," Jonathan replied with a smile. Ronaldo, hearing this, was starting to like this ant in front of him. He then glanced at Valentine, filled with endless ideas about what kind of position he could do with her. Valentine, feeling the strong gaze, began to sweat like crazy as she stood up in front of the two to cover them. "If you want to do it with me, can you please let my father and uncle go!" Valentine cried out loud as she decided. She stood, her back facing the two. Her hand was squeezed into a fist, and her nail pierced her palms. "Valentine, you.." Benjamin stuttered as he stood up; filled with unwillingness, he held his arms. Shanks, not agreeing to her words as, well voiced out as he was lying there, "Young lady, please don''t do that. You will ruin your future." Valentine, hearing her father and uncle''s words, bit her lip as she replied with unwillingness. "Dad, uncle I don''t want you guys to die even if its superficial I still want to try.." she said with tears sliding in her cheeks. Seeing her daughter cry in front of him, Benjamin''s heart felt like it was pierced by thousands of needles. "I should have called for her help; I''m so stupid to go here when my daughter''s life is on the line..." Benjamin regretted it, he regretted it very much that he should have called for help to her. "Young lady, I won''t let you do that. I will give you time to.." He did not finish her words as he puked up another blood round of blood. Shanks felt like passing out, but he was unwilling¡ªvery unwilling¡ªto pass out and do nothing in this situation. He promised her daughter that he would never fail to fulfill her dying wish. But even with a strong will, if he is weak and can''t move, that is only wishful thinking. Ronaldo, hearing what he said, put a hand on his chin. Hearing her cries, Jonathan began to panic. He was afraid that this master would agree, ruining his plan. Ronaldo only hummed as he thought about it. Valentine, who was looking at her with trembling eyes, Ronaldo liked this kind of expression. "Tell me what the purpose of this filming set?" Ronaldo asked, seeing the big couch, carpet, and camera stand. Jonathan, hearing this, did not lie, afraid that he would make the man displeased. "Ahh, master Ronaldo, this is actually to film Valentine, that woman, so we can humiliate her and spread the video throughout every business circle," he replied respectfully. Find exclusive stories on empire Hearing that reason, Benjamin''s eyes turned blood red as he pulled Valentine to his back, shielding her. "Jonathan you piece of shit, you are really corrupted. You will die a cruel death for this." Benjamin cursed angrily, but what received him was just a scornful smile. "My life and death have nothing with you. If I''m you, you should worry more about yourself more than me," Jonathan said, spitting saliva on the ground. Ronaldo, hearing this reason, finally made up his mind. "That idea of yours is actually good. Let me vent out first and film this beautiful woman so she can cherish this memorable moment. After that, it''s up to you what you want to do. But first, she''s a virgin, right?" he said with a laugh, asking this. Jonathan, hearing his answer, was happy since he did not agree to her terms. "Yes master, we have made lots of investigation that this woman never had any romantic relationship. So, she''s still a virgin." "Then that''s good, this will be much more fun," Ronaldo bellowed with a crooked smile. Valentine trembled, her face was pale. Her last bit of negotiation failed. Benjamin, who was in front, would never move even if he died. He had to protect her daughter even if it was in his last moment. "Then hurry up and prepare for the filming. Well, start now. Just looking at her in despair is making me excited," Ronaldo commanded. Jonathan was about to instruct his men, who were still alive and kicking, but suddenly, his phone rang. The ring was too loud, reverberating throughout the place. He picked it up in his pocket and ended the call. "Sorry about that, master. I''ll do it right aw..." he did not finish his words since they began to ring in his hands again. This made him angry, so he ended the call, but it began to ring again, making his blood boil. Ronaldo looked at him and said, "Just pick up the phone. If he called three times, then that means there''s a problem." "Yes, yes. Master Ronaldo is wise" Jonathan praised as he picked up the call as it began to ring. When he put it in his ears, he shouted angrily, "Can''t you see that we are busy here? Why do you keep calling?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But what received him was a cry from the phone. "Boss, our headquarters was destroyed. He... he disabled each of our men," the voice behind the call cried out. This made the black serpent gang members who were behind hearing the voice in boil anger, thinking that some gangs attacked their base when they were out. "Who was the one causing trouble? Is it from the other gangs?" Jonathan said, feeling angry, since they actually took this chance to attack them. "Um, boss, it''s not a gang, but it''s only one person, and it''s a kid," he responded to the phone. Chapter 105 Looking for Info Before the events in the mountain, Alexander was back in the bar, where he, Zya, and her other classmates had come.Alexander knows that he has zero connections, and he can only ask this group for information since he already has a grudge against them. Beating them up and asking to investigate where her boss is a good choice, and about revenge? He was not afraid; he literally fought a living wyvern. How could a normal human fight with him? But he''s not going on a killing spree; he''s just going to beat them up. "Should I make my own group?" Alexander muttered, looking at the bar. He stood across the street contemplating that maybe making his own group or organization is a great idea. "Even though I''m strong, I don''t know if I''m the only cultivator since I have never met one. Other than some martial artists who are good at fighting, there seems to be no superhuman, " he said to himself. Alexander scratched the back of his head and decided to think about it in the near future. If he ever finds one, then that means there are people with godlike abilities hiding in this world. While Alexander was thinking about this, he did not notice that an old man was watching him up in the sky, with its perfectly concealed presence. He then crossed the streets, and as he arrived at the entrance door, the guards stopped him. Explore stories on empire "ID?" the robust man asked Alexander, extending his hand. Alexander stared at it and remembered he had not bought anything, shaking his head as he looked at the big man who was head taller than him. "I did not bring any," Alexander responded calmly. The big man in black could not help but be angry. "Then why did you come here? Kids these days are so ignorant. Don''t you know the rules of this place? Hurry up and leave now, or I''ll beat you up," he glared at Alexander behind his shades. Alexander was hesitant to cause trouble just to gather information. However, since grudges were already begun to deepen, he decided to get straight to the point. He gazed at the man with a calm look. Even though the man was big, he did not show any fear, making the man doubt his menacing look and figure. "Can you take me to one of your bosses?" Alexander asked nicely. The two guards felt like errand boys rather than security guards in the bar, and they were very angry as they looked at the kid who seemed like he would break with just one punch. "Kid, this is your last warning if you know what is good for you! You better leave now, or that trashcan over there will be your bed," the big man threatened, pointing at the big trashcan across the alley. Alexander did not look behind and sighed. Yep, talking is pointless, so he did not bother the two as he walked inside, brushing the two stunned guards. "Is this kid a mentally ill patient?" The man flared seeing Alexander''s look that does not give a fuck about them. "You did this to yourself," the man bellowed loudly as he also stepped in the doors, extending his hands to pull Alexander in the back of his collar. Alexander did not turn around; he just caught it with his right hand. This surprised the man for a moment since he did not see the kid''s hand move at all. When he tried to take it back, he could not; it felt like it was nailed to a metal wall. He exerted too much force, but it wouldn''t budge. The veins on his forehead began to form. "Is this kid a monster?" as he continued to pull it back. Alexander then released the man''s hand as he stumbled and rolled from the floor, hitting the wall beside the entrance door. thud The impact caused a low thud, and the big man growled, caressing the back of his head. Alexander did not look back as he looked at the empty hallway. "Hey, are you okay?" the other man asked, squatting down and checking on the man who had stumbled back. "Do I look like I''m fine?" he cursed inwardly, as he stood up angrily. "Kid, you just angered me even more. Let''s teach this kid a lesson," the big man said, and the other man nodded since the reputation of the ''Black Serpent Gang'' was in line here. Alexander, feeling lost, decided to just get the answer from the back since he did not know where the boss of this place was. Looking back, he saw their enraged look, and with that, the two men in black suits rushed towards him, their fists aiming at him. He just caught both arms, leaving the two men stunned and terrified. They felt that their hands were being crushed when the kid in front of them squeezed them. "Call your boss!" Alexander instructed them with a glare. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Shut the F*ck up, kid," the man sneered, but what received him was just a sidekick in his cheeks, making him fly, hitting the wall with a loud thud. The loud crash alerted the rest of the gangs, and the people who were here to enjoy themselves also got out of the room to see what caused the loud commotion. Alexander, who was surrounded and watched by many people, could not help but think that he was stupid. "Thanks to this, I should at least hide my face before taking action. It''s just going to be luck if the police do not chase me for the troubles I''m going to make," he cursed as they surrounded him. He let go of the man''s hand as it nkeeled on the ground clutching it with a pale face, he felt like he was dying as he looked at it shaking. "Call your boss," he asked again. Since he was already here, it was too late to go back and wear a mask. No one spoke when suddenly one of the men stepped up and said, with a hint of fear, "Our boss is not here," he said respectfully. The other members looked at him like a fool. Why was he so respectful to the kid just now? Seeing their looks aimed at him, he could only sigh. He then told them that the person they were dealing with right now was the kid who caused trouble a few days ago. The man who said this was the man who was commanded to beat the Kid. But after seeing his prowess, like sending a man with one slap, he swore in his heart that if he ever saw him again, he would never offend him. "Not here?" Alexander frowned as he looked at him. The man remembered him, but he didn''t. He had met a lot of faces, and how could he remember this guy? "Then where is your boss?" Alexander asked. The man was about to respond that their boss was not present, but a man next to him whispered urgently, and his eyes trembled for a moment. The two of them whispered very close to each other''s ears, not knowing that Alexander could hear them clearly. The man beside the guy whispered, "Why don''t we take him to the boss base? This kid was causing a lot of trouble, right? So I think that by bringing him there with a lot of brothers accompanied by the other captains, we can finally beat the shit out of him," he suggested. Hearing his suggestion, he was a bit hesitant since he felt something was going to go wrong in his heart. But in the end, he decided to agree. The fear in his heart was enveloped by vengeance, and he looked at Alexander who was calm as the lake. Alexander just looked at the clown in front of him since they were going to help him take them to their base. Then doesn''t? that means he can meet the boss of this gang who loves to cause trouble in his neighborhood, especially for him. So this time, he''s going to teach every one of them a lesson. "Young master," the man coughed, addressing him respectfully with a broken smile. Clearly, he was not delighted when he said that word. "I know where the boss is, and he is not here. Why don''t we and my brother take you there in our car?" he suggested, clasping his arms, acting humbly. Alexander could not help but smirk, but remembering that her boss''s life was on the line, he raised his voice a little and ordered. "Sure, take me there quickly; I''m in a hurry," Alexander instructed the man, who nodded with a strained smile. "Kid Just you wait, when we arrive their I will f*cking smash a broken pipe in your freaking head, then you''ll see why the ''Black Serpent Gang'' is not a hangout place where you can just have fun" The man cursed as three big man went out first to take a car. The man then guided Alexander to another door that led to the parking area, where a black car was waiting. A man opened the door for him. As Alexander got in, four large men in black suits entered the car as well. The bystanders watching the scene looked at Alexander in awe, not only because he was handsome but also because they misinterpreted him as the son of a mafia family or a young master. Yuno, who was in the sky, wondered if his young master had joined a bad organization. However, seeing him beat up the people and noticing the urgency in his voice made Yuno feel that something was amiss. With his presence completely hidden, he followed the car like a gust of wind. Chapter 106 Looking for Info 2 In an underground room, there are a lot of men accompanied by a bunch of women, enjoying and rejoicing as these women wear alluring dresses that expose their parts and curves.They serve these man by pouring wines and sitting beside them as their hands wander around their body. Suddenly, one of the men''s phones rang. He had tattoos on the left side of his face. The weird symbols added a cool effect if people looked at him. He was not only bulky, but also tall, and the cup in his hands looked like a small toy. He resembled a gorilla due to his size and figure. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When his phone rang, his hands were wandering inside the woman''s clothes, who was biting her lips, enjoying his caress, especially on her chest. When she felt the big hand stop, she glanced at him only to see him taking a call, so she stared at him quietly waiting for him to be done. Answering the call, the big man then narrowed his eyes, a little angry, of course, since he was enjoying himself. "Your call should be important, or I''m going to break your leg for this," he threatened; the man on the other side of the phone shivered in fear. This man is wearing a suit, and he was currently in the bar, where Alexander had just arrived and took some members of the gang to accompany him to their base. The man clearly calls him to deliver this news to prepare them. "Um, Captain Hugo, do you remember the kid the Boss told us to avoid for some time? " He begins to state the purpose of his call. Hugo, hearing this, narrowed his gaze as he leaned back from the couch and took out a cigarette. The woman, seeing this, took a lighter and lit it up in his hands. After that, he put it in his mouth to smoke, and as he breathed out, a large amount of smoke wafted in the air. "What about it?" he responded in an uncaring manner. On the other end of the phone, the man was a bit afraid to say this, but he eventually got up to speak up. "Well, that kid came here, and not only did he cause some trouble, he broke the bones of two of our people, and now they are already in the hospital for recovery." "Ohh, then what did the rest of you do?" he asked, narrowing his gaze as he stopped smoking. "Ahh, we let him go, and Magnus was leading him towards the base since he was looking for the boss," he answered. Hugu could not help but get angry as his tone became deadlier. The people across the table, seeing his look, stopped enjoying themselves and took their seats seriously as well. "bullsh*t, and all of you even consider yourself as one of the elite members of the ''Black Serpent Gang.'' How dare all of you let him leave and take him here without even beating him up? All of you are useless," He roared in the phone, his anger was livid on his face. Hearing the loud shout, the man on the other end of the phone was sweating like bullets as his legs were shaking, and his pals who were beside him were also scared. The man was a bit shaky as he responded to the phone, "Um... ba-but captain, we can''t do anything. The-the kid is really strong," Hearing this, some black lines appeared on Hugo''s forehead, "Excuses, getting beat up by a kid in one of our turfs is a great shame. You useless scums since he was coming here then I deal with him, after I''m done with him I''ll deal with all of you later," he muttered in an icy tone as the call ended. When they heard that one of the captains was going to deal with Alexander, they felt very happy since they had great respect for Captain Hugo. However, when they heard the end of his words, all of their faces turned pale. They fear this captain more than the other three because Hugo, also known as the Iron Gorilla, is a dangerous man. Because of his massive muscular build, broad shoulders, and thick arms, he resembles a gorilla. His sheer physical presence is enough to intimidate anyone who crosses his path. His power was greatly engraved in their minds since this man fought with raw, overwhelming strength like a gorilla. His punches feel like they could crush bones, and his grappling skills can make his opponent nearly impossible to escape in a fight. One of his signature moves is grabbing his opponent and slamming them into the ground, turning them into a broken piece of wood. They could even remember the person who their captain did this, with just one slam the guy turns into a puddle of blood. Hugo, their captain, was known for his wild, primal behavior during battle and outside of battle. He had a gruff, no-nonsense demeanor, cold and very strict, giving off the vibe of a beast. Also, when he says something, he does not break his words, so when they hear that he is going to deal with them, their scalps go numb. They also heard the story that Hugo the ''Iron Gorilla'' once took down a small gang''s hideout single-handedly; some of those people died with broken bones from his rampage. This led the police to place a bounty on his head, but he was never found. Seizing this opportunity, the boss recruited him, making him one of the four captains of the Black Serpent Gang. Alexander, who was in the black car, just sat close to the door, the window open, as he looked around the building calmly. The man in the car looked at his calm demeanor, which made them enraged. It seemed like he was going on vacation rather than going to the enemy''s base to cause trouble. Magnus, who proposed this idea to Alexander, was filled with bloodlust. "Kid, you better enjoy your last moment," he muttered inwardly. Alexander glanced at him momentarily as he continued looking at the place. He could feel his killing intent, even though it was just a bit due to his battle instinct, but compared to the opponent he faced. The killing intent was like a needle in front of a large sword. So he was not even worried about what is this man going to do. Suddenly, the car took a turn and went into an alley with only 1 road. There were no more people, so they continued on their way. As they arrived at a big building. As he looked at the window from the outside, he noticed that it resembled a square-shaped motel with numerous rooms. The car then drove through the gate, where he saw two men standing guard at the entrance. When he went inside, arriving at the center of the square motel-style building, he could see that on each floor, there were members of black serpent gangs, but this did not make him uneasy. Parking the car, Alexander knew that it was time. Magnus then looked at him with a cold smile. "Young master, we have arrived. Why don''t we take you to the boss," he said Alexander. He just smiled and wanted to see what are they going to do with him. As Alexander stepped out of the car, his eyes calmly wandered around the place as he scanned the surroundings. The motel style building was square-shape with multiple floors connected by a continuous walkway that ran in front of each room. The metal railings lining the walkways looked word and rusted, Above him the members of the Black Serpent Gang leaned against this railing, their eyes were locked on him. Some of them were smoking, he can even see that they had nkives what caught his eyes is that saw that they were carrying pistols dangling loosely in their hands while some was place inside their pants. He could hear some of them laughing as they murmured, having the conversation of their lives. These conversations echoed throughout the place. But what they were talking about was just a bunch of nonsense, so he did not take the time to listen to it. When they saw Alexander, those who were talking and having fun stopped and stared at the kid like they had found prey. Since Alexander appeared so frail, he looked weak enough that a single hit could break him. Glancing back a little, Magnus could see that the kid was not even frightened, which made him frown as if there was something wrong with this kid. When they arrived at the double door, two men in dark shades were there. They carried a rifle, and Alexander could tell it was not fake. In the Philippines, it is not uncommon for gangs and influential groups to carry guns. While firearms are regulated, individuals can legally carry them if they have the necessary permits. However, those caught carrying firearms without a valid permit can face arrest and legal consequences, that is, if they get caught. Because of this loophole often allows certain groups to exploit the system and maintain their firepower. When they arrived at the two people, Magnus walked towards them, while the three men who had been with Alexander as he got out of the car followed behind him. After some talking and whispering to each other, Magnus pointed at Alexander. Magnus did not look back, as he just raised his hand above his shoulders as the man with the rifle glanced at him; their faces were covered with frowns and anger. When he was done telling the story, Magnus moved aside as the two men casually pointed the rifle at him. "Young master you''ve better lay low for now, these rifles in front of you had no eyes. We don''t want the blood to be spilled on the floor if some accident happens, right?" Magnus sneered on the side, saying these words. Your journey continues on empire He could not help but curse Alexander''s stupidity for coming with him back to their headquarters. The three men behind him looked at him with disdain as the rest of the men who were hovering above him looked at Alexander like an idiot. They just stood their wanting to see how this kid would react, they all though he was a special guest but seeing that he was pointed with a gun all of them know that its actually an enemy. Chapter 107 Looking for Info 3 "This kid is really courageous; he was not even frightened after being pointed at a gun at his head." One of the men praised as he rested his hands on the railway looking below."You''re right. That kid deserves an award for that." The man beside him responded, and suddenly his expression turns cold like a serial killer. "And that reward is torture, Hehe." He chuckled at the end. Alexander glanced at the gun pointed at him. Then, shifting his gaze, he looked at Magnus, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Yeah, too bad that this rifles had no eyes. Why don''t you shoot, if it can hit me?" Alexander muttered calmly, making the two men who were pointing at him freeze. "I think this kid is really mentally ill," The man bellowed, looking at him like an idiot. The other guy just looked at Alexander, a wide sneer present on his face. "Kid, do you really want to see the coffin? To make you take this matter seriously?" the man said with red eyes. Alexander just tilted his head a little, "All of you are not enough to make me serious," Hearing his arrogant words, Magnus could not take it anymore. He was literally holding himself from beating this kid because he was strong. Now that they are at their base, who was he to be scared? pulling the pistol on the man who was pointing at Alexander furiously. The man frowned since that gun was his, but he just snorted waiting for Magnus to punish the arrogant kid. "You are so arrogant for a little kid with weak little arms, and weak little legs." Magnus roared angrily as he loaded the gun, ready to shoot at any moment. The muzzle of the gun was just 7 inches away from Alexander''s face; if it was triggered, he would likely die from it. But that only applies to a normal person. "Weak?" Alexander, hearing this, smiled slyly, "Who was so afraid that he even had to be so respectful in front of me a few minutes ago?" he said with a scornful look. This fueled Magnus''s anger even more. "You asked for it." With that, he pulled the trigger, and the pistol exploded. A bullet began to fly out, aiming at him. Alexander saw this as he watched the bullet flying towards him. It was so slow, so slow, that he was like a flash at this moment. Extending his hand, Alexander caught the bullet with his right hand. Magnus, who was smiling widely, was frozen in place. The two men holding the rifle were also looking at this scene in disbelief, while the three men behind Alexander were sweating like crazy. Hearing the loud gun shout, the other members of the black serpent gang above the floor, watching this scene, cannot see clearly. They were a little bit confused since the kid had not fallen yet after getting pointed at and shot in close parameters. "That-that''s Impossi.." He did not finish his words when a heavy kick hit his abdomen. His face contorted into an ugly expression. It was so heavy that he felt like his waist was broken. The food he had eaten this afternoon felt like it was about to thrown up even though he had digested it. The kick he sent out was just a normal kick, but its power was so devastating since Magnus destroyed the door, which was tightly closed, when he dropped to the floor. He did not stop as he continued to skid down the corridor, stopping at the end of the wall. The two men with the rifle, who are momentarily stunned, are brought back, filled with fear. One of the men shouted, "Fire, kill, kill this monster." he said, filled with a look of fear. Then, the two rifles began to shoot rapidly; bullets were flinging toward Alexander in a frenzy. The gang members above leaned over the railers, trying to get a better look at the commotion below. They did not see Alexander suddenly kick one of them for the shout; they only heard a muffling sound. Alexander didn''t even flinch; with an almost bored expression, he shifted slightly, dodging the bullet with minimal effort. His movements were precise, filled with fluidity, and almost too fast to follow his moving figure. To the men firing, it was if he were just a blur of images, dissapering and reappering between their shots. The three men who were behind Alexander were the ones who got hit as the rain of bullets got buried inside them. The three of them were pushed back as the other gang members above the railings finally knew what was happening. Suddenly, one of the riflemen''s magazines clicked empty. Panic began to spread across his face as he scrambled to reload it. Filled with fear, he dropped the magazine, but Alexander didn''t give him the chance. In an instant, Alexander closed the distance, appearing in front of him like a ghost. Before the man could react, Alexander''s fist drove into his chest with a thunderous impact. The force sent him flying backward, slamming into the railing on the second floor with a loud clang. The railing bent under the force, and the man''s body slumped lifelessly onto the walkway, it was unknown whether he was dead or alive. But he is alive since Alexander did not receive any notifications. He controlled his strength a little because he couldn''t be a rouge in his own world because this place had its own set of rules. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If he just killed people if he wanted to, then he would be sentenced to life in prison because of that reason. "Mommy..." The second riflesman, was trembling uncontrollably, he had already reloaded his gun aiming towards Alexander. His hands were shaking so much that he could barely aim, "Stay back!" he shouted, his voice cracking. Alexander simply smirked, darting forward before the man could pull the trigger. He grabbed the barrel of the rifle and bent it effortlessly with his bare hand, rendering the weapon useless. The man, seeing his gun turned into scraps, widened in sheer horror, but before he could scream like a girl in distress. Alexander sent him flying with a backhanded slap so powerful it knocked him out cold. The man''s body skidded across the floor, stopping only when it hit the wall. He was knocked out just besides Magnus who''s life and death is still unknown, by now the members of the Black Serpent Gang above had fully grasped the situation. It just took a matter of seconds before they could even assist them, their contempt towards his stupidity earlier were feeling incredulous. One of them shouted, "Our brother was killed by this kid! Get him!" Dozens of gang members surged down the stairs and balconies, some of them were wielding bats, knives and even more guns. The space was filled with chaos, and Alexander was surrounded from all sides. Seeing this scene, Alexander cracked his knuckles. "Looking for Info is really hard; a fight is really inevitable," he muttered. The first group to reach him swung their bats wildly, but Alexander did not dodge. Gripping one man by the ankle, he effortlessly lifted him up to the air. With a swift motion, he hurled the man into two others, sending them crashing into the open space. Another gang member lunged at him with a knife, aiming for his chest. Alexander caught the blade mid-swing between his fingers and snapped it like a twig. Before the attacker could react, Alexander drove his elbow into the man''s jaw, sending him spinning to the ground. Not giving him a chance to breathe, bullets began to rain again, Alexander weaved through the chaos, dodging everyshot with inhuman precision. At one point, he grabbed a nearby gang member by the collar and used him as a shield. Even though the bullets cannot hurt him, what about his clothes? The bullets embedded harmlessly into the man''s back. With a single push, Alexander sent the human shield flying into a group of attackers, knocking them all over like bowling pins. The gang members on the upper levels began to realize the futility of their weapons. One of them shouted, "Get the heavy artillery! Bring the RPG hurry!". "RPG? But what about our headquarters?" The man asked, only to receive a slap in his face. "Are you stupid? What is the purpose of an RPG if it cannot save us at this moment?" he said, pulling him by the collar. The man was very angry after getting slapped and pulled by him in the collar. He was just a member, the same as him, and he dared to do this to him. With that he punched the man in the face, and the hit was so clean that the man fell to the floor. Seeing that he was hit, he became even more angry since he was already angry in the first place. But before they continued their shenanigans, Alexander leaped up, landing on the second-floor walkway with enough force to rattle the entire structure. With a sweeping kick, he sent these two men tumbling over the rail. Alexander dashed forward, sweeping his way. Their screams echoed as they fell into the courtyard below. Another tried to tackle him from behind, but Alexander grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the wall, leaving a dent in the concrete. "This is the work of a devil. This kid is a demon!" they all thought, looking at Alexander, filled with fear. Their morales were crumbled into pieces, their numbers dwindled rapidly, and those who could stand began backing away. Alexander, however, showed no signs of fatigue. His strikes were as devastating as ever, each one landing with great precision. The remaining gang members dropped their weapons and fled one by one, their courage now broken to pieces. Alexander just stood at the center of the carnage, his clothes unruffled, and his expression was calm. Around him lay the unconscious and groaning bodies of the Black Serpent Gang. Above, the few gang members still conscious watched from the railings, too terrified to move. They knew they had messed with the wrong person this time. Alexander glanced up at them, his piercing gaze sending a chill down their spines. Without a word, they scattered, vanishing into the motel''s rooms. The last one who was too slow, when he turned around, Alexander was already in front of him, his gaze as cold as ice. Chapter 108 Are you serious? Seeing the devil in front of him, he was so scared that he felt like his soul was about to fly inside him.Even though it was night, those piercing eyes seemed to have a glint of light. His gaze emanated something that he did not know how to explain. Even though Alexander''s gaze was calm and devoid of anything, the man could greatly feel his heartbreaking aura. "Take me to your boss," Alexander said calmly, looking down at the man. The man was shaking as he lay on the ground, not daring to stand up. Alexander, seeing this, was a bit frustrated since he was in a hurry. "Didn''t you hear me? Or do you want me to beat you up first before you tell me," he threatened with a cold gaze. The man hearing this shook even more as he nodded his head frantically. "Yes, yes, but the boss is not here, and I don''t know where he was," he answered. Alexander, hearing this, frowned since his visit seemed to be wasted. He greatly heard their conversation back at the bar, so he really thought that the boss of this place was here. "Do you have his number?" he asked. The frown on his face was still there. The man hurriedly shook his head, afraid that this demon would slap him to death if he was too slow to answer. "Then why did you say yes in the first place?" Alexander said angrily, his eyes turning red like they were about to kill. The man''s face turned even more distressed as he quickly explained, "I don''t know where the boss is or have his number, but one of our captains does. I can take you to him so he can provide you with that information." Alexander, hearing this, calmed down, "Hurry up and take me there," he commanded. The man then stood up at the speed of light and began to assist Alexander as they got inside the entrance of the broken two-way door. The spacious hallway was filled with their footstep. After taking some turns and turns, Alexander saw that there was actually an underground stairs. Seeing the man stop, Alexander kicked him in the butt, making the man groan in pain. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hurry up," Alexander soundly reminded. The man hastily went down the stairs while caressing his swollen butt; he was not angry since who was he to get angry when his life was on the line? While walking down the stairs, Alexander noticed a metal double door just a few meters away. The hallway was cemented, both on the ground, on the walls, and even on the ceiling, with lights attached to serve as the vision for the place. There were no fancy designs, and there were no other doors, just this double metal door. The man stopped for a moment, so Alexander stopped as well, looking at the man, whose mouth was moving, wanting to speak. Feeling irritated, he could not help but reprimand him, "Speak!". Hearing the devil''s voice, the man turned around with a humble look, but his face was sweating. "Umm, young master. Before going inside... It''s better for you to prepare other than Captain Hugo. He also had three subordinates that are also strong. So-so you have to be prepared before going inside," he explained. He was afraid that this little demon, no, to be more precise, this big demon, misunderstood that he wanted to trap him and kill him. The man knows how powerful Captain Hugo is, but can he dodge a bullet? Can he jump 10 feet on the ground? No, he cannot do that. So it''s better to let this demon know that he had not planned anything to save his life. Alexander, hearing this, was not bothered at all. "So, to be clear, he''s just inside that door?" Alexander asked, pointing at the closed door. "Yes, yes, young master. Captain Hugo is just inside. " The man nodded his head. It was so fast that it left after images. Alexander could not help but feel a little dumbfounded. Glancing back at the man with a broken smile hanging on his face, he inquired. "Can''t they hear the commotion outside? It''s not far away from the entrance, and this underground place is not even this deep." The man who was prepared to share the secrets about their headquarters that he had accumulated for years, like drugs, embezzlement, robbery, forcing girls, and even killing, was a bit stunned. This is not the script that he wanted to happen, but since he asked, he answered, sharing what he knew. "Actually, the reason for this is that the room inside is primarily used for meetings, as well as a space where the captain and the boss can relax and enjoy themselves without interruptions. The boss made the walls soundproofed to ensure their privacy and prevent any disturbances. This way, no noise from the room escapes to the outside, and anything happening outside can''t be heard inside either," he explained. Alexander was speechless at this; he couldn''t help but scoff at this ridiculous idea. "Do they seriously believe no one would dare invade their territory? They''re busy having fun inside while chaos is brewing outside¡ªhow arrogant can they be?" Looking at the man deeply, he decided to let him go since he was very much cooperative. "Alright then, that''s all you can away roll now," Alexander said, waving his hand. Being pardoned, the man was happy, feeling delighted he could not help but flip like this ????. He only began to walk normally when he arrived at the stairs. Alexander, seeing his actions, was at a loss for words. "Dang, this surprises me more than fighting that Ravenwing," he muttered, feeling completely lost about what to do about this. But focusing on his goals, he walked towards the door. Inside, Hugo and the three guys across from him were still drinking, their faces red. But you can see that they are really not that drunk, Hugo was sitting in the couch with two women from left to right. His face twisted in annoyance as he barked, "Is the kid not here yet? Go and check, Little Po." Hugo, the big man, instructed another big man nearby. But let''s be honest here, the only thing big about Little Po was his stomach, which looked like it was winning an all-you-can-eat buffet competition against the rest of his body. "Sure thing, big brother," Little Po replied with a grin, setting down his glass of beer like a man preparing for a heroic mission. Unfortunately for him, this mission would go horribly, when I say horribly. It''s horribly wrong! Little Po waddled toward the door with the confidence of a man who had clearly never been to a gym. As he reached for the handle, the door suddenly exploded inward with a thunderous BANG! The force of the kick was so powerful, it was like a small freight train had decided to make a surprise visit. Poor Little Po never stood a chance. The door hit him square in the face, sending him flying backward as if he''d been kicked by a professional soccer player. He tumbled through the air like a human bowling ball, crashing into the table with a WHAM, sending glasses and bottles flying in every direction. The two women in the room screamed in unison, clutching each other like they''d just seen something new. Little Po, on the other hand, was in no condition to scream. Blood poured from his nose like a waterfall, and his mouth looked like a crime scene with a couple of teeth scattered on the floor. To top it off, his eyes were rolling in different directions like they were debating whether to stay conscious or not. But the chaos wasn''t done yet. Little Po''s momentum carried him past the table, where he continued rolling like a lopsided watermelon, eventually skidding to a stop right at Hugo''s feet. The room fell silent except for the sound of Little Po wheezing like an overworked vacuum cleaner. *Heavy Breathing Hugo looked down at him with a mixture of shock and disgust. His appearance was a mess; his face was red, not from alcohol, but from cholesterol. Actually, I''m just joking with you. The straight-line red print on his face was caused by the metal door''s edge hitting it. The nose was crooked and flat, and the center teeth were destroyed like scraps. You can even see that some were dented slightly because of the impact. The two guys were already standing up, and looking at little Po''s appearance made them feel their bones shiver. Glancing at the source of this, standing at the door, Alexander was stunned. He just decided to kick the door to make an explosive entrance like in the movies. Now, he felt even more sorry for the fat guy, whose plan was just to walk out from the door. Hugo, inspecting him, was a bit dumbfounded since it was actually a kid who caused this. This made his face blackened like charcoal, "Don''t you how to knock you freaking idiot, tell me which asshole recruited you?" he shouted slapping the table but what he slapped is the air since the table was already broken. So he just slapped his thigh to make the sound, waiting for the kid who dared to barge into the place that was not allowed to go to. Alexander, hearing his questioning tone, was brought back alive. "No one, I''m here to look for your boss," he stated, stating his purpose since he was in a hurry. Hugo and the two men hearing this finally know his identity. This must be the kid who caused a lot of trouble for their boss and the gang. "So it''s actually you. You have become so rampant that you are causing a lot of damage for our Black Serpent Gang. Being young and arrogant is normal, but you need to control it. Big Kai and Short Shen, deal this kid for me," Hugo remarked, wanting to see if the rumors were true. Big Kai was tall and thin, with an average build. To Alexander, he resembled a walking skeleton, and it was primarily his height that made him intimidating. Short Shen, on the other hand, is a man who fully describes his description. He''s a short guy, about 5 feet, but his muscles are jacked, not gonna lie. The two of them burst into speed with great speed; even though Short Shen was short with small little legs, his speed cannot be underestimated. Big Kai, however, wasn''t as lucky. As he rushed forward, his towering height betrayed him. He slammed headfirst into the uneven ceiling, which had an awkward mix of low and high sections that looked like they''d been designed by someone who hated tall people. The impact sent Big Kai flying backward, landing squarely on his butt with a loud THUD. His eyes rolled back as he let out a groan before passing out, sprawling out on the floor like a defeated giant. Hugo, watching this disaster unfold, slapped his forehead and let out an exasperated sigh. "Damn it, I knew I should''ve fixed that ceiling," he muttered. Glancing at the still-dazed Big Kai, he added, "Guess it''s all up to Short Shen now." Meanwhile, Short Shen, unbothered by his partner''s epic failure, kept charging forward, his determination making up for his lack of height. Alexander was utterly dumbfounded by this. "Are you serious?" he muttered when he saw that the short man had arrived in front of him. Raising his legs, he just weeps it sideways, hitting the man in his right wrist; the impact is strong, causing him to fly and hit the wall on the side with a loud thud. He felt that his shoulder, which was used to shield the impact from the cemented wall, was broken, making him pass out from pain as well. Seeing this scene, Hugo was very angry as he stood up. The two women also got up and hid behind the couch, their heads popping out. Cracking his neck, Hugo''s eyes were bloodshot. "You have made a grave mistake for this kid, now be prepared!" he bellowed as he pounced at Alexander with great momentum. Chapter 109 The call [Note: 2-3 Chapters will be updated daily starting tomorrow]Suddenly, you can hear a groan, and this sound was not made by Alexander but by the big ma,n Hugo. The two women seeing this were appalled. They were really scared as they looked at the scene before them. The strong man Hugo in their memories was utterly ruined as they looked at this scene. Hugo can be seen in a cow-like position with both hands and feet on the ground. On top of him is Alexander sitting at his back domineeringly; his face was beaten to a pulp, and you can see his cheeks were purple and disfigured. Even though he had some loose teeth in his mouth, and he was sweating like bullets, he was greatly devoted in this position, not moving even a bit. He was scared greatly scared. ... Earlier, he rushed towards Alexander, filled with momentum. He even roared to increase his power as he arrived in front of Alexander. He delivered a heavy right punch so powerful that breaking a chair was possible. But Alexander just slightly placed his right foot one step in the back while leaning sideways to dodge the attack. Seeing this scene, Hugo is filled with momentum when he throws that punch off the side. Staring above, seeing Alexander''s calm gaze, he shifted his body to the side and delivered a sideways uppercut. But Alexander did the same thing, taking one step, leaning to the side, and dodging the attack. This time, when he dodged it, Hugo, whose face was so close to the ground, shifted his body to face Alexander, carrying momentum for his right strike. Alexander, this time, leaned his head back to dodge. The fist was very close to hitting his face. Hugo did the same, shifting his body to deliver a blow again. Alexander kept dodging and dodging, but he could see that the speed of Hugo''s punch seemed to have increased in speed. "Dempsey Roll!" Hugo shouted, delivering a flurry of blows from right and left. This is one of his killer moves. It originated from an Anime, ''Ippo.'' Ippo is his favorite character, and he practices this skill beyond mastery. Every person where he used this move was sometimes dead, and even with just three blows, they were already knocked out, making him feared by all. But this time, his signature move was useless. The kid in front of him was so fast that he was dodging his attack effortlessly. This fueled his anger even more as his blow became more deadly and powerful. His breathing became heavy, and with a loud roar, he kept up his pace faster than before. Hugo''s eyes were red from anger. Alexander just took one step every time. But Hugo did not stop his movement; he also went forward to close in the gap with each other, throwing strikes. They were doing this action repeatedly, as they just circled the place. Hugo''s started to feel tired but he did not stop; he decided to exert more power on his bones. If he slowed down now, his chances of landing a hit would greatly diminish. Also, if he stopped and was dead tired, this kid would use this chance to knock him out. "Okay, that is enough," Alexander bellowed. Hugo did not hear this as he threw a right strike, closing in on Alexander''s right cheek. But he did not give him that chance. From the Anime, the weakness of ''Dempsey Roll'' is taking a step back in order to see clearly and land a hit. For Alexander, he just delivered a strike with his right hand that was as fast as lightning. The air whistled and it was a clean hit, it hit Hugo''s face as his fist caving in. A blood crunching sound illuminated the place, the blow finally stopped his momentum. As Alexander forcefully hit him, the blow was so strong that he flew all the way to the couch to stop his progress. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The cushion saved his back as he groaned in pain, extending his shaking hands he touched his aching face filled. His nose was crooked, and a spot had already turned purple. The most visible thing is one of his teeth in the center, rotated sideways from the impact. "Ahhh, that hurts! Shitt, it hurtsss!" Hugo exclaimed, clutching his face, when his eyes caught Alexander again. Filled with rage when he was beaten up, he rushed again to avenge himself. His face was disfigured, he needs to avenge it he needs to avenge him self. Alexander saw the big guy rushing again and sneered, "You don''t learn, do you?" he said in a low voice. Hugo did not reply, but his fist was the one who responded to Alexander''s words. But Alexander just looked at him calmly, raising his hand. He slapped him in the face, making him stagger to the floor. Not giving up, he rushed again, but Alexander slapped him from right to left every time he rushed forward. The sound of flesh being slapped can be heard loudly. Every Pah sound was accompanied by a scream. It''s just a melody if you add some humor to it. The blood was everywhere, and the two women who were watching this scene felt like passing out. Even though they are somewhat used to it, this scene makes them want to vomit since it''s totally different from what they usually see. "You-" Hugo did not finish his words as a slap replied to him. He staggered to the ground, looking at Alexander with a face that looked like it was stung by hundreds of bees. "Just you-" he was silent again as he sprawled to the ground from the strong slap. "Let me spe-" he was slapped again, as he rolled all the way to the wall in the right corner. His gaze was starting to see some stars, and Alexander just looked at this, not feeling guilty about it. This guy must have done a lot of bad things, so why would he feel sad? Walking towards the big man Hugo, who was filled with vigor a moment ago, was now turned into a pile of rubbish. He just lay there with his upper body slightly raised with the help of his left shoulder. He was about to stand up, but Alexander just squatted down, looking at him with a cold gaze. The arrogance slowly diminished in Hugo''s eyes. "Kid... just yo-" he did not finish his words as another slap came. Hugo''s nostril flared. When he was about to open his mouth, Alexander slapped him again. Whenever his lips moved, he was slapped. Hugo''s image was totally destroyed this time. "If you speak again, I''ll kill you!" Alexander said coldly, his killing intent this time was displayed. Even though it was just a little bit, Hugo felt like his soul was screaming to make a run right now. Every hair in his body stood up like it was electrocuted. His face showed that he would never yield and was utterly destroyed; this kid in front of him had killed someone. He will kill him, he knows that. His hands were filled with the dead bodies of every person he had killed, so he had developed his killing intent. And he can feel this from the kid in front of him. But his killing intent was just a fart in front of a perfume, this time he lowered his head not daring to speak. Alexander, seeing this, nodded in appreciation. "That''s good," he praised as he stood up and stood in the center. He then stretched as he muttered in a low voice, but he made sure his voice could be heard. "My back hurts; I need a seat." Hugo, who''s back and leaning in the right corner. His brows twitch, knowing his intention, so he stands, not caring about his injuries. He walks toward the chair, but Alexander''s voice comes in. "I don''t like that chair; I want you to be my chair for a moment," Alexander remarked. Hugo''s face turned sour and black, but he did not argue. He crawled on the ground and positioned himself on Alexander''s butt. He then sat with his other foot placed on his other thigh, looking so cool, while Hugo just groaned since his body was already injured. Alexander was not that heavy for him, but he was not in a good state. Alexander, who was sitting, decided to get to the point. So that''s about it for the flashback. ... "Where''s your boss? I heard one of your people said you had his number." Alexander asked. Hugo, whose face was facing the floor, was filled with anger. "Who dares to set me up," he growled, wanting to know that person, and strangled him to death to quell his anger. "Yes, yes. I have the boss''s number right now. I''ll call him for you," he said in haste, but Alexander did not jump down, so he had to use his right hand to hold his body up as his left hand reached for his pockets. Turning on the phone, he directed his bloodstain finger on the contact list. Finding his boss''s contact list, he quickly called. The phone began to ring, and he hung up, making his face turn scared. Suddenly, he felt his back turn cold. "If the call is not going to be answered in one minute, I''ll make sure you don''t have the chance to make the call," Alexander said calmly. Your journey continues with empire Hugo could not help but cry but had no tears to spare. After a few tries, finally, his boss answered the phone, making him cry in tears. Then Jonathan''s irritating voice can be heard, "Can''t you see that we are busy here? Why do you keep calling?" But he did not mind it since he felt like he heard the voice of his last savior, "Boss, our headquarters was destroyed. He... he disabled each of our men," he stated with a cry, and his tears slid down the screen. "Who was the one causing trouble? Is it from the other gangs?" Jonathan''s voice on the other end can be heard. "Um, boss, it''s not a gang, but it''s only one person, and it''s a kid," he responded to the phone. Chapter 110 The Call 2 "One person¡ªand a kid at that?" Jonathan was first stunned and then became angry, as if a huge slap had landed on his face.If people were to know about this, the Black Serpent Gang''s prestige would be destroyed. Jonathan''s eyes blazed with anger. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Who did it?" he shouted, his grip on the phone tightening. Hearing the loud shout, Master Ronaldo grew curious to know who this little troublemaker was to have the power to annihilate a gang''s headquarters. A person like that was not going to be ordinary. "Another martial artist, I see," Ronaldo thought, feeling amused by the news. But he just stood there leisurely, as this was not his problem. On the other side of the phone, Hugo glanced at Alexander, but Alexander gave him a look, indicating that he should proceed. Receiving the order, Hugo hurriedly said, "Uh, boss, it''s the kid you wanted to deal with later, after you''re done. He was looking for you to get some info." "A kid, looking for me to get some info?" Jonathan muttered in a low voice, trying to identify the culprit. Suddenly, Alexander took the phone from Hugo''s hand. Hugo did not struggle, instead placing his two hands on the floor to make it easier for him to pretend to be a chair. "Are you the boss?" Alexander asked directly, getting straight to the point as time was running out. Your next chapter is on empire Hearing the voice of someone unfamiliar, Jonathan was still in a dilemma about who this person could be. But Ethan, who was standing nearby, recognized the voice immediately. "Boss, this kid must be Alexander¡ªthe one who beat up your son and caused trouble at the bar yesterday," Ethan said to him. Hearing this, a hint of realization hit Jonathan, and his face turned frosty, as though he wanted to kill someone. He had planned to deal with this kid after he was done, but the boy had actually appeared and caused a great ruckus. Jonathan was filled with rage at this moment, but it did not completely envelop his mind with wrath. He was very suspicious about whether this kid was truly normal. His headquarters were filled with armed people, and even Hugo, one of his four captains, was the strongest when it came to hand-to-hand combat. Yet, he had actually lost to a kid whom he considered insignificant, and that boy was now on his list of people to get rid of. Now that he had already accomplished his goal of defeating Benjamin and capturing them, he decided that it''s time to take action against this troublemaker. "What do you want, kid?" Jonathan bellowed, his voice deadly with a hint of frost. Alexander could clearly hear their conversation and the cold voice of the gang''s boss, but he did not care. "I''m here for you to help me find some info. Where can I find you?" Alexander asked, his eyes wandering around the room. "Info? What kind of information are you trying to find?" Jonathan asked, his eyes narrowing. He could not help but feel inwardly angry, as this kid was treating him like a mere source of information and someone to be used and discarded after causing such a ruckus. "Just you wait, kid! I will skin you alive!" Jonathan threatened inwardly. He did not say it out loud, afraid that the kid might kill all his men, dealing him a huge blow. Even though he might win this battle, he was deeply afraid of suffering an even greater loss in return. If their foundation was ruined, the other gang, like the ''Steel Roses,'' led by a woman named Scarlet, would take the opportunity to attack them. So, he decided to listen to what the kid needed first and then come up with a plan to dispose of him. With this in mind, he could not help but smile gleefully. "I want to find someone. Earlier this afternoon, she was kidnapped and I need to know her whereabout ASAP. You can help me with this, right?" Alexander stated his purpose. This left Jonathan dumbfounded. This afternoon? Kidnapped? He could not help but glance at the three people: Valentine, Benjamin, and Shanks. Seeing his look, the two men, Shanks and Benjamin, exchanged glances, while Valentine was shocked and in disbelief. She could clearly hear Ethan''s words mentioning one of his employees'' names, Alexander. Valentine was shocked when she connected the dots, the honest and brave young man was actually much braver than she had imagined. As Valentine met his gaze, the idea forming in her mind began to blossom even more, and a feeling of despair washed over her. If Alexander came here and got trapped, not only would the three of them suffer, but he would too. Still, she was a little curious about Alexander''s purpose in attacking their headquarters. "Is it because of me?" Valentine muttered in a low voice, a warmth filling her heart, though she shook her head. It was impossible for someone to come here and save her by risking himself. Alexander was brave, but she knew he would not be so foolish as to come here alone and bring trouble upon himself. Jonathan, was snapped back to attention by Alexander calling him from the other end. He then decided to continue asking for more information to confirm if what he was thinking was truly the case. "Can you tell me the name of the woman?" Jonathan inquired. "A woman? How does this guy know it''s a woman?" Alexander muttered inwardly, his brows furrowing. "Yes, it''s a woman. She''s my boss, Valentine Lancaster. Help me find her location, and I''ll spare your gang from trouble!" Alexander said. His voice was calm at first, but in the last sentence, his tone turned cold. The coldness seemed to envelop the air around him. Hugo, who was acting as a chair, felt all the hair on his body stand up. It was as if his life were hanging by a thread. He could not help but sweat profusely, soaking his clothes. The girls behind the couch, seeing this scene, passed out. They could not handle the power of Alexander''s pressure, as they were just normal people. Hugo, being a fighter with a strong will, managed to remain awake. Alexander hurriedly withdrew the pressure when he saw that the two women had passed out from it. That was just a small leak of his power, yet it was enough to make a normal person lose consciousness. Hearing the name, Jonathan looked at Valentine with hatred. Valentine, feeling the intensity of his gaze, was clueless about its cause. "So, you are looking for her? Do you want me to tell you where she is?" Jonathan responded in a cold voice, his eyes never leaving Valentine''s face. Hearing this, Alexander stood up from his seated position, his eyes widening with delight. Hugo, sensing that the devil had stood, slumped to the floor, hitting it with his face. He felt pardoned, even though the devil in front of him was not physically heavy. The pressure he exuded, however, was far heavier than Hugo could bear. Alexander did not notice that his chair was already lying on the floor¡ªhis focus was entirely on the phone. "Hurry up and tell me where she is!" Alexander commanded urgently. Being commanded by a kid made him very angry, but he still gave him the address. "Here''s the address. Don''t bring the police if you don''t want her to be hurt," Jonathan threatened, making Alexander frown. "Don''t tell me you''re the kidnapper¡ªthe person behind all this?" Alexander said, his face calm at this moment. From his tone and threats, it was clear that her boss was not hurt at this moment. "Yes, I am! You have grown so bold since I ignored you yesterday. Hurry and get here¡ªyou''d better arrive in 30 minutes, or something bad will really happen to her," Jonathan muttered, his voice laced with coldness. "Don''t you tr¡ª" His words were cut off as the call abruptly ended. Alexander remained absolutely calm even after the call ended. But in his heart, he had already sentenced him to death. Then his phone rang, displaying a pointer on a map. The location was marked in the mountains. Staring at the ceiling, his hand clenched into a fist. Lowering his knees for a moment and channeling Aether into his hand, he shot upward like a cannonball, punching through the ceiling. The whole place shook as his fist collided with the ceiling. The force was so destructive that it dislodged dirt, debris, and the cemented ceiling, creating a tunnel-like hole for him. When he emerged from a room, he looked at the window and ran toward it. The window shattered, its shards scattering everywhere. Alexander was so fast that even passing cars seemed stunned as they witnessed a human figure moving faster than them. Hearing the loud rumbling sound, like an earthquake had struck, Hugo was hit by a small grain of dirt from above. When he opened his eyes and looked up, his expression froze in shock. He felt as if his life had lost all its colors. "A monster¡­ a monster born in human skin," he muttered as he stared at the human-made wormhole, about five meters deep. From where he stood, he could even see the ceiling of the room above. "What kind of entity have we offended? The Black Serpent Gang is going to become a legend from this moment on," Hugo whispered as he stood up, deciding to leave early before anything worse happened. Chapter 111 The Battle Starts Jonathan, who had no idea that Alexander was already on his way to this place, glanced toward Valentine with a deadly smile."I think you already know who was calling me, right?" he said. Valentine was clueless for a moment. Now that she was asked, her first idea began to resurface. "Don''t tell me he is really coming here to sa-save me?" she spoke, her lips turning pale as paper Jonathan smiled widely and clapped both of his hands. "That''s right, that troublemaker is causing trouble, and this time it''s a big one. So, thanks to you, we don''t need to look for the kid since he will be coming here and will be taken care of." Valentine, hearing this, was enraged. Her father and her uncle Shanks were already involved in this matter because of him, and now his employee was going to be added to the list, making her angry. "You¡ªyou...!" Valentine exclaimed in an enraged tone while pointing at him. "You what?" Jonathan asked smugly. "You are evil." Hearing this, Jonathan burst into laughter, and even Ethan could not help but let out a small laugh as well. "Haha, do you think this is a fairy tale where the villain is defeated by some random prince charming saving the princess? Let me tell you this: the script will change because the villain will be the one to stomp that prince charming," he concluded with a laugh. Valentine could not help but bite her lip as a streak of blood slid down from her lips, all the way to her jaw, dripping onto the floor. "Tough woman. The taste will be exciting," Ronaldo muttered under his breath while licking his lips. He decided to have fun with the woman later, since the more despair she felt, the more enjoyable it would be for him. After all, it was just a kid¡ªwhy would he be afraid of a child with only a few skills? Valentine did not say anything more, which made Jonathan feel satisfied. Now, the only thing he needed to do was wait for the kid to come. Suddenly, one of his men called out from behind, "Boss, there is someone at the gate." "Someone at the gate?" Jonathan thought as he responded, "Who is that person? Are there a lot of them?" he asked, looking toward the man standing near the door. "Uhh, it''s only one person, boss, and it''s a kid. We were just guarding the place when he suddenly appeared outside the gate," the man responded respectfully. "Also, he''s here because you called him a few minutes ago. Should we let him in?" the man asked for permission. "He''s here? Isn''t that too fast?" Jonathan was dumbfounded when he heard this. Picking up the phone in his pockets, he turned it on and checked the time and navigated his thumb to the recent calls. It was now 9:08 pm., and their call had ended at 9:02 pm. Read exclusive chapters at empire How is it so fast? His mind was filled with questions since this mountain was at least 15 kilometers away from their headquarters. From the call just now, he knew that Alexander must be at their headquarters, so he gave him plenty of time. However, arriving in less than 10 minutes seemed impossible. "Don''t tell me this kid was already below the mountain when the call was made, or did he just run his way up here, back to the headquarters?" Jonathan thought of this idea but shook his head, as this seemed a bit impossible. Climbing up the mountain would also take more than 10 minutes. If he took a car, it would take just 5 minutes. Even Ethan, who was beside him, was clueless about this. It was so fast that it seemed impossible for a normal person to close the gap in the distance within just a few minutes. "Bring him here," Jonathan commanded the man, who nodded and left the area. "That seems too inhumane," Ethan thought, as he took a walkie-talkie device from his pocket and held it. "Deadeye, have you seen someone climb up the mountain a few minutes ago?" Ethan said into the device. On the other side, on a hill with his back leaning against a tree, he could see the abandoned factory from up here. He was wearing goggles attached to his head. He could clearly see the road leading to this place, so when he listened to the device, he maneuvered the goggles toward the gate and saw a kid standing there, which baffled him. "What the¡ªhow the heck did this kid get up here?" Deadeye, one of the four captains of the Black Serpent gang, exclaimed he was the gun man of this gang. He was an expert when it came to using guns, and, indeed, this was one of Jonathan''s reinforcements. If the plan failed, they could escape or clean up the mess by shooting their opponents when they were off guard. Deadeye had three people on his side who were also veterans in using guns. They were positioned at the south, east, and west, while he was stationed in the north. The abandoned factory was surrounded on all four sides, which made spotting anyone a breeze for them. Their positions were not only hidden but also provided an excellent view of the area. "I did not see him; even my team did not report anything. It''s just like he popped out of nowhere," he answered on the phone. Hearing the response, Ethan felt like he was struck by lightning. This seemed too absurd. "Does this kid know teleportation like Goku? But that''s just cartoons," he grumbled to himself. Deadeye did not receive any further reply. He called his own people and told them the same thing. His mind was in a dilemma over how a person could suddenly appear out of thin air. What he received also left the three stunned. When they looked at the gate, they saw a person standing there, leaving them dumbfounded by this discovery as well. Deadeye crouched down and held the sniper rifle in his hands. It was a Barrett M82A1, a massive anti-material sniper rifle designed to devastate targets at extreme ranges. Measuring nearly 57 inches (over 4.7 feet) in length, the barrel alone stretched about 29 inches. Weighing around 30 pounds without attachments, it was a beast of a firearm, built for both intimidation and destruction. It was equipped with a custom high-power optic scope, featuring a lens nearly as wide as a coffee cup. The scope allowed Deadeye to zoom in on targets over a mile away, with its precision reticle calibrated for long-range shots requiring minimal adjustment. It had its own windage and elevation dials, which allowed him to account for factors like wind speed and bullet drop. The scope''s glass was crystal clear, providing Deadeye with a sharp, unobstructed view of his prey, even in low-light conditions. The Barrett was chambered in .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) rounds¡ªmassive, cigar-sized bullets nearly 5.5 inches long. These rounds could pierce through vehicles, walls, and even light armor with ease. If the top assassins saw this, they would have praised him, as owning this kind of gun was no simple feat. In the Philippines, civilian ownership of sniper rifles like this one was prohibited, as they were classified as military-grade weapons. The .50 BMG caliber, in particular, was highly restricted due to its destructive potential. Only law enforcement or groups with significant influence had access to such weapons, and even then, they were likely smuggled. The fact that the Black Serpent Gang possessed such a weapon demonstrated how powerful their background was. Maneuvering the gun with his eyes on the scope, Deadeye pointed it toward the person at the gate¡ªAlexander, who was looking at the two men with guns. Alexander was just standing there, waiting for the guy to come back, when he suddenly felt like someone was watching him. There were eyes on him from every direction. He lifted his head and pierced the darkness with his gaze. Deadeye, who had aimed his gun at Alexander''s head, was stunned when the kid looked him directly in the eye. This frightened him, as he realized the boy was staring straight at him. "This¡ªthis¡­ is he a ghost? Can he see me from this distance? It''s already night. No, just the distance alone makes it impossible for me to be seen, even if it were a soldier using a telescope." But Alexander lowered his gaze, as the man who told him to wait finally arrived. Deadeye, seeing this, sighed in relief, thinking he must have been imagining things earlier. Alexander, who was finally inside, followed the man. He was not afraid of the sniper aiming at him, even though the sniper was positioned 500¨C600 meters away from him. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was not afraid of getting shot, in the middle of his walking. With his senses that were already 100 times better than a normal person''s, he could dodge a bullet as long as he was prepared for it. Chapter 112 Are you looking for this? When Alexander entered the factory, he saw that there were many members of the Black Serpent gang. They were carrying different weapons, and worse, they were carrying guns. However, to him, these were just toys.When Alexander arrived at the abandoned warehouse, he saw that the man leading the way had stopped at the door. He looked at him with a glare. "Get inside. You better be respectful or¡ª" he did not finish what he was saying because Alexander simply walked past him and entered. The man was greatly furious, but Alexander was already inside, so he decided to follow and see how the kid would be dealt with. Once inside, Alexander saw a short man with a fierce expression on his face. Beside him stood the man he had met at the bar. Jonathan finally saw the kid who just entered the door, it was the troublemaker who had caused great damage to him and his gang. He stared at him, filled with anger, as if he wanted to eat him alive. It was not only Jonathan, but also the other members of the Black Serpent gang, who had overheard the conversation earlier. The man who had brought him inside did not know about this, but he also glared at him, furious at having been ignored earlier. After glancing at the short man for a moment, Alexander shifted his gaze towards the three people, among whom was the woman he was familiar with. It was Valentine, who was looking at him with concern. Now that he was here, he already implicated his self in this trouble. Alexander did not feel any fear or burden at all. He simply walked toward the three people as all eyes were fixed on him. When he arrived in front of Valentine, he hurriedly checked her condition. Other than a slap and the blood on her lips, there were no further problems. Alexander released a sigh. "Boss, don''t worry. Now that I''m here, leave this matter to me," Alexander said as he looked down at her, since he was a head taller. Valentine was anxious. The worry in her eyes deepened; she did not trust his words at all. After being exposed to supernatural things, she could clearly see that these people¡ªespecially that one man is a monster. "Not only can he play with his uncle, whom she had known to be strong for a long time, but she also knows that Alexander will be no match. He is strong and she knows that but in front of this man, especially these people, now that they are armed not with bats and knives but with guns, real guns she knows what kind of trouble this is. Valentine finally knows that this world is actually far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. Staring at Alexander, the guilt in her heart grew bigger and bigger." "Alexander, are you stupid? Why did you come here? If you were trying to save me, you should have thought twice before rushing in," Valentine grumbled in anger, staring at him in the face. Hearing the concern in her words, Alexander simply smiled. Seeing his carefree smile, Valentine became even more anxious, thinking that Alexander was just here to play some kind of game. "Don''t worry, Boss. Now that I''m here, I will help you leave this place untouched," Alexander promised as he stood straight. But his words had no effect on her. Valentine simply sighed in frustration. She was about to think of a solution when she was interrupted. "Are you treating us like spectators here? You, kid¡ªyou are so arrogant. After causing this much trouble, you still have the nerve to ignore me," Jonathan said coldly, as the men behind him held their guns. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire They were showing their guns to scare Alexander, but he simply looked at them as if they were insignificant. Seeing his gaze, Jonathan wondered if this kid was mentally retarded. Since he was so calm, so calm that feels like he was not in trouble at all. "Does he think these guns are toys?" Jonathan though, with that he took a pistol in one of his people and pointed at him. Seeing that a gun was pointed at him, Valentine grabbed his hands, planning to pull him behind her and shield him, but he did not budge from his position. Not expecting Alexander''s reaction to what she was trying to do, she felt a pang of anxiety because of it. "Alexander, this is not the time to be stubborn. Get behind me¡ª" her words were cut off as Alexander squeezed the hands she was using to pull him. Tilting his head slightly, he looked at her calmly and responded, "Just get behind me. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine," he comforted. Looking at his stubborn personality, her expression tightened with worry. But she could not do anything anymore since she could not stop him. Benjamin, who was behind the two, seeing this, he was about to stop the kid from acting like a hero but was held back by the back of his clothes. Looking behind, it was Shanks who held him back. "Benjamin, don''t stop the kid. I feel that he''s not normal. Look at his expression," he said to him. Benjamin then looked at Alexander and saw that the kid he had met at the mall was devoid of any fear on his face. "See, there is no fear in his eyes. This is not stubbornness or arrogance, because if he had these two qualities, the fear could not be hidden," Shanks said with a heavy breath. Benjamin listened to his words but still felt a little skeptical, given how young Alexander was to be able to deal with this matter. He really applauded this kid for his courage to come here at night just to save his daughter. Now that the kid was about to die a meaningless death, he was, of course, worried. Shanks, seeing that Benjamin was in a dilemma about whether to trust his words or not, pointed out another fact. "Benjamin, listen. From the call just now, this kid in front of you was alone when he took down the headquarters of this gang. You do know how dangerous that is, right? Now that the kid is standing in front of you without any injuries, let''s trust him and leave this matter for him to handle," Shanks explained. Benjamin decided to accept his words, so he stopped. But he prepared himself, knowing that if this kid was just all talk, he would do his best to help, even at the cost of his own life. Jonathan, looking at Alexander, noticed that the kid glanced at him without showing any panic at all, which made him a bit frustrated. This was not the reaction he was expecting. "Kid, from the moment you die, this will be the end of our grudge," Jonathan bellowed coldly, growing impatient as too much time was being wasted. With that, the sound of a gunshot rang out, like the roar of thunder, Valentine''s trembled as she leaned against his back, holding his left hand. But after some time, she realized that Alexander had not moved at all. She popped her head out and was stunned to see the expressions of the people in front of her. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their faces were filled with disbelief, while some looked clueless. When the gun was fired, they had clearly seen that it was aimed at Alexander, but after a few seconds, the kid was still unharmed. "Where did my bullet go?" Jonathan exclaimed. As he inspected his gun, he checked and confirmed that there were still bullets inside. He then looked at Alexander, who was still standing as if nothing had happened. "Did I miss?" Jonathan thought. With that, he glared at Alexander with a deadly stare. Pointing the gun at him again, this time Jonathan fired twice. The resounding sound of the gunshots echoed once more. This time, he did not move his gaze, but when the bullets reached Alexander, they simply vanished into thin air. Ronaldo, who was standing on the side with his back leaning against the wall, watched the scene with amusement. "Interesting..." he said in a low voice, having clearly seen what had happened earlier. Viper Ronin, on the other side, did not share the same amusement, as his expression was also stunned. With his enhanced eyesight, he could clearly see the bullets, but just as they came within inches of the kid, they vanished into thin air. "What!" Jonathan could not help but voice out loudly. Even the men standing behind him, holding their guns, were equally stunned. They could not understand why the kid was still unscathed. "Is the gun malfunctioning?" Jonathan asked Ethan as he looked at him. Ethan, who was being questioned, shook his head. "No, it''s not, boss. I think that kid over there did something strange," he responded. Jonathan, hearing what Ethan said, nodded his head, as he only needed clarification. The gun in his hand was not the problem¡ªit was the person it was pointed at. "Hey, you, what did you do just now? Why are you still alive?" Jonathan asked, this time lowering his gun. His eyes were full of wariness as he stared at Alexander. Valentine, hearing what he said, was also curious about where the bullets had gone. Alexander just smiled as he extended his right hand, which had not moved this entire time. "Are you looking for this?" Chapter 113 As Alexander opened his palms, the three bullets were there, and when they dropped, the metallic clang rang loudly in the vicinity. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.All of them were flabbergasted as they stared at Alexander, full of shock; the kid in front of them was actually the same as the three master. Not only could they dodge bullets, but their strength was also inhumane. As all of them observed Alexander, they began to understand that they must treat this kid seriously, or they would be the ones to die. Jonathan, who had fully understood his situation, was not panicked since he had two masters by his side. But for the other one, Master Ronaldo he does not know if his going to help him with this. If he wanted to continue his reign in this city, he had to eliminate this kid right now. If the kid ever escaped and sought revenge, Jonathan would be dead. Since hiring a master had already depleted all of his money, hiring another one was out of the question¡ªhe simply could not afford it. "I''m surprised, kid. You''re actually this strong. No wonder you were arrogant enough to challenge us, but you''ve made the wrong choice this time. I don''t believe you can dodge a rain of bullets without evading, right?" Jonathan said with a wicked smile. "Not evading?" Alexander muttered under his breath, glancing back for a moment before looking forward. He finally understood his intent. "Don''t you want them alive at all?" Alexander''s face changed; he was no longer relaxed. Seeing the kid''s changed in expression, Jonathan felt ecstatic, and his smile deepened even more. Jonathan spread his arms wide and shouted, "That''s right! What do you think my purpose was for bringing them to this abandoned factory? Of course, to get rid of them!" His saliva splattered as he shouted. Then he instructed his men to aim and be ready to fire at Alexander. If Alexander decided to evade, the people behind him would die. Seeing this advantage, the men holding the AKs were elated, feeling as though they had already won. Shank''s face turned pale as he saw over 30 people in front of them pointing their guns in their direction. If the kid made even a slight mistake, their chances of survival would be nonexistent. Benjamin, seeing the situation escalate like this, had an ashen expression. Valentine could not help but clutch Alexander''s shirt from behind, her head pressed against his broad back. She was not trembling this time; instead, her face was filled with regret. She tapped Alexander''s back, her face lowered as she stared at the floor. "Alexander, thank you so much for coming just to save me. I''m very sorry for this. I think dying is much better than being shamed. After seeing your capability, escaping right now wouldn''t be a problem for you at all. Please leave the moment they fired," Valentine said, her face filled with regret and seriousness. Hearing the voice behind him, Alexander''s face turned serious as he stood tall, his posture imposing. "I will not leave," he responded. Valentine couldn''t help but smile wryly. She was about to persuade him further, but the sound of gunfire began to echo. Bang!!! A rain of bullets began to shower down upon them. Alexander''s expression turned serious as his aura underwent a drastic change. With one hand extended and using just his index finger, he blocked the rain of bullets that dared to strike him. The sound of the collisions was not metallic but resembled the impact of bullets hitting an unyielding, rock-hard surface. "Fire! Fire! Shoot him to death!" Jonathan commanded loudly. His men let out battle cries as they continued holding the triggers, showering Alexander with bullets. However, Alexander''s single hand moved so fast that it left afterimages blocking every bullet, that dared to hit him. The bullets that passed by him posed no threat, as he had calculated their trajectories carefully. He could have blocked them if he wanted to, but he chose not to, knowing they wouldn''t hit the two people behind him. Seeing this scene, Jonathan began to feel a sense of dread as he noticed that the bullets falling to the ground were flattened from being blocked by the kid in front of him. "Shit! We need to take drastic measures. Hey, you, come here!" Jonathan shouted at one of his men. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire The man hurriedly ran over to his boss. "Yes, boss, wha¡ª" he started, but his words were cut short as Jonathan pulled a grenade hidden in his clothing. This gang was truly dangerous. Not only did they have an arsenal of weaponry, but they also had access to explosives. "Let''s see if you can block this!" Jonathan yelled as he pulled the safety pin, igniting the grenade. He then hurled it toward Alexander. Seeing the situation, Alexander rushed forward, ensuring that none of the bullets from the ongoing rain would reach the two people behind him as he made his move. Valentine was surprised this time because Alexander had pulled her into his arms and was now carrying her in a princess carry. She was terrified, and in her panic, she shifted her position, wrapping her delicate arms tightly around Alexander''s back. Her chin rested on his shoulder, her eyes squeezed shut. Her legs wrapped around Alexander''s waist to ensure she wouldn''t fall. Feeling her tight embrace, Alexander was momentarily stunned by her sudden change in position. The two soft peaches pressed against his chest, causing a fleeting moment of heat to rise within him, but he quickly shook it off. Leaping about six feet into the air, Alexander positioned himself above the grenade. With a powerful kick, he sent the grenade flying back into midair. As the grenade soared upward and struck the roof, it detonated with a deafening boom. The shockwave from the explosion rippled through the abandoned warehouse, shaking its very structure. The roof, made of rusted corrugated metal panels, bore the brunt of the blast. Years of neglect had left the structure weak and brittle, unable to withstand such force. The powerful explosion tore through the metal sheets, sending jagged shards flying like deadly shrapnel. Twisted chunks of the corrugated roofing crashed to the ground with sharp metallic clangs, some embedding themselves into the concrete floor below. The blast caused several sections of the roof to buckle and collapse. Seeing this earlier, they all stopped shooting and hurriedly scattered to the sides, dodging the dust and debris that rained down on the spot where they once stood. Valentine clung tightly to Alexander, her heart racing as the deafening explosion echoed around them. She even felt the shockwave pass through her body. Her fear was palpable as she buried her face deeper into Alexander''s shoulder, trembling uncontrollably. Still in midair, Alexander, feeling her shaken, extended his hand and gently patted the back of her hair to comfort her. Feeling Alexander''s touch, Valentine didn''t know why, but she felt safe and secure, as though all her fears were melting away. His touch worked like magic, putting her at ease. Alexander then landed gracefully, but instead of staying still, he immediately pounced toward the enemies. His speed was so fast that none of them had time to react. With the air filled with dust and debris, they could no longer see clearly. However, one by one, they began to hear loud screams¡ªshouts of agony filled with excruciating pain. The man, terrified out of his wits, hurriedly reached for the AK lying on the ground. His fingers were already brushing against the cold metal when, out of nowhere, a dark figure loomed over him. Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, a devastating kick slammed into his face. The impact was thunderous, like a sledgehammer colliding with a steel plate. A sharp cracking sound echoed through the dusty air, sending shivers down the spines of those nearby. The force of the kick snapped the back of his head violently, sending a spray of blood and saliva into the air, as if in slow motion. The sheer power of the strike lifted the man''s entire body off the ground, flipping him backward like a ragdoll before he crashed onto the debris-strewn floor with a loud thud. The earlier shouts and groans clearly indicated that he was not the first victim. Disappearing like a ghost, Alexander reappeared again and again, targeting them one by one. The loud wailing sounds struck fear into their hearts as they remained unable to see what was happening. A man who had picked up his rifle was trembling with terror and prepared to fire blindly in every direction. Just as his finger was about to pull the trigger, a powerful force suddenly gripped the muzzle of the rifle. Looking up, he realized it was the kid. Fear washed over him, and in desperation, he fired the gun, thinking he couldn''t possibly miss at such close range. However, Alexander exerted enough force on the muzzle to bend it into scrap. The bullet exploded inside the broken barrel, rendering the weapon useless. The man was frightened as he stumbled backward from the explosion. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a fist hurtling toward his face. Too slow to react, he was struck squarely. A sickening crunch echoed as Alexander''s fist slammed into his face, caving it in and distorting it as though it had been crushed. His nose shattered, and his teeth either flew out or were bent forcefully under the impact. Blood sprayed through the air as the man was sent flying backward. His body slammed against the wall, his head hitting it with a thud. Dazed, he saw stars circling him before succumbing to his sleep. In just one minute, Alexander had finished dealing with all the problems. As the debris and dust finally settled, Jonathan couldn''t help but cough, his throat irritated from inhaling the thick, polluted air. "What''s happening?!" he exclaimed loudly, his voice filled with panic. He had heard countless cries of pain in rapid succession, it was bone-crunching sounds that sent shivers down his spine. Jonathan suddenly felt a hand coil around his shoulder. When he turned to see who it was, he was rendered speechless. Ethan, also coughing from the dust, was clinging tightly to Jonathan, trembling with fear and sticking close to him, terrified that something bad might happen to him. But as the dust settled, nothing seemed to happen. Ethan glanced at his boss''s face, then down at his own hands, which were tightly clutching Jonathan''s arm. Realizing how cowardly he looked, he quickly let go, scurrying backward like a lizard. Jonathan couldn''t help but curse inwardly at his assistant''s spineless behavior. Among the four captains under his command, Ethan was by far the most cowardly. If it weren''t for his excellent management skills and high IQ, he would have never been given the position of assistant. Ignoring Ethan, Jonathan wandered his gaze around the area. As he took in the scene, he felt the color drain from his face. All of his men were now unconscious, and their conditions were painful to behold. Jonathan felt his scalp go numb just from the sight before him. Though he could tell they were still alive, the thought of recovery? Oh, hell no! It was clear to him that they would need permanent medical care if they even wanted a chance at survival. Their faces were disfigured, with crooked noses and broken mouths. Some of their arms dangled limply, like shattered branches. Despite his years of experience in the underworld, Jonathan could barely swallow the scene, especially when he noticed that some of their bones were protruding through their skin. "Only you two are left," Alexander said, gently patting Valentine on the back to prompting her to let go. Valentine, whose eyes had been tightly shut, felt the soft tap on her back. She leaned away, and their faces met, staring directly at each other. They were in close proximity, and Valentine was momentarily entranced. However, Alexander had no time for such distractions. "Don''t worry, the danger is gone now. Go and stand in the back," Alexander said, pointing behind him, breaking the moment. Valentine let out a small grumble. The atmosphere had been undeniably romantic when their gazes locked, and for the first time, she felt her heart racing faster than ever before. But Alexander ruined the moment, leaving her pouting in disappointment since this feeling is really new to her. But she knew how crucial the moment was, so she quickly let go and walked toward her father and uncle, who were still lying on the ground. When she glanced back and took in the scene, she felt like she was about to pass out from this. The sight was horrifying, especially as she listened to their labored, heavy breathing, which sounded as if their lives were hanging by a thread. Chapter 114 The place was deathly silent, with only the wails of pain breaking the stillness.Hearing Alexander''s cold and heartless words, Ethan and Jonathan swallowed nervously, feeling as if a deadly knife was pressed against their throats. Alexander''s eyes were calm¡ªdeathly calm¡ªas he walked toward them in slow, deliberate strides. But before he could get any closer. The old man, having recovered a little, stepped forward with both hands behind his back. His previously battered appearance was now restored, revealing his dignified and imposing presence. "Not bad, kiddo. I really gotta hand it to you. You''re so young, yet you''re already this strong. If you join a sect, I believe that with your talent, you could easily be accepted as a disciple," Viper Ronan praised him. Viper Ronan then shook his head, his eyes filled with pity. "But too bad¡ªyou will never have that opportunity!" he said, his voice laced with venom. His killing intent spread outward, and Alexander could clearly feel it. But who was he? Compared to everything he had experienced, this was nothing¡ªhis own killing intent had already been honed to perfection. Seeing the unwavering look in Alexander''s eyes, Viper Ronan''s expression shifted to one of appreciation. "Let''s end this, kiddo!" he declared as he pounced toward Alexander. Alexander, who had remained calm from the very start, observed the old man carefully. Ronan''s face was filled with a smile, his arms stretched outward, hands open like a palm strike. The pressure he exuded was powerful¡ªat least, it would be if his opponent were an ordinary person. When Alexander noticed that the old man''s attack was aimed at his chest, he remained unfazed. The spectators, especially Ethan and Jonathan, were ecstatic. Their lives had been spared, and they could see that Master Ronan was closing in. Meanwhile, the kid who had nearly made them pee their pants appeared to be frozen in fear. Benjamin and Shanks watched the unfolding scene without so much as a blink, their gazes fixed on the impending clash. Valentine, noticing that Alexander wasn''t dodging at all, panicked. "Alexander, hurry up and defend yourself!" she exclaimed. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the side, Ronaldo observed the scene calmly, his eyes fixated on the boy named Alexander. When the old man was just five feet away, Alexander lazily stretched out his arm and countered with a palm strike of his own. Viper Ronan, seeing his response, narrowed his eyes in mockery. Scoffing at the attempt, he refused to back down, fully committing to the strike. While his attack carried both ferocity and skill, Alexander merely stretched out his arm lazily, as if mocking him. "You''ll regret this!" the old man roared as their fists collided. A shockwave rippled outward from the impact, sending a gust of air through the surroundings. The force of their strikes produced a loud, resounding slap. For a few moments, they were locked in a stalemate. Viper Ronan held his ground, his expression turning serious as his eyes burned red with intensity. Then, suddenly, blood trickled from his mouth. Moments later, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body trembling as the force of the strike finally took effect. The impact sent him hurtling backward until he crashed into a concrete wall with a thunderous impact. His arm, which he had thrown forward with full force, felt as if it had struck solid metal, making him grit his teeth in pain. Though his bones hadn''t broken, the overwhelming power he had just endured left his hand trembling uncontrollably. Still stuck against the wall, Viper Ronan pushed himself off the concrete, forcing his body to drop down and land on both feet. Raising a hand, he wiped the blood from his lips. He didn''t utter a word¡ªhis focus was now entirely locked onto Alexander. He had underestimated the kid in front of him. His strength seemed to be on par with the man he had just fought¡ªor perhaps "on par" wasn''t the right word. From their brief exchange, it was clear that this boy was even stronger. Viper Ronan''s face turned solemn. Alexander raised an eyebrow as he observed the old man. "If you won''t come, I will," he said in a calm voice. With his hands casually tucked into his pockets, he took a step forward¡ªand in that instant, his figure vanished. Viper Ronan''s eyes trembled as he scanned his surroundings, his wariness at its peak. "Don''t tell me¡­ he''s at my back¡ª" he exclaimed, swiftly turning his head. But before he could react further, a shadowy figure materialized right in front of him, forcing him to snap his gaze forward once more. "Where are you looking?" Alexander said, still in a relaxed manner as he delivered a sweeping kick from the side. Viper Ronan, relying on his quick reflexes, barely managed to raise his arm in time to block the attack. However, the sheer force of the blow sent him flying sideways, staggering as he struggled to regain his footing. A sharp numbness spread through his right arm, making his face pale. He glared at Alexander with murderous intent, his expression twisted with frustration. Slapping the ground with force, he left a deep handprint in the cement. The impact propelled his body upward, allowing him to stand tall once more. "Is this kid a monster?" Viper Ronan exclaimed in shock. This was the first time he had ever been beaten so one-sidedly. "Kid, I really underestimated you. If given a few more years, I can only imagine the heights you would reach with such talent. But from this moment on, I will put an end to that!" Viper Ronin said menacingly, his eyes turning an eerie green. He shifted into a stance as his entire aura took a drastic turn¡ªthick and venomous. A sinister green light radiated from his hands. "This move is my hidden technique. If I''m pushed into a corner, this is my only choice. Be honored for you will be the third person to die by my hands using this technique!" Viper Ronin declared with vigor. "Oh? If it''s a hidden technique, you should''ve kept it hidden¡ªbecause it won''t change the outcome," Alexander responded indifferently, his tone filled with utter disregard. He didn''t even consider his opponent worth taking seriously. Viper Ronin flared up in anger and charged straight at Alexander. But just before reaching him, he kicked the ground, launching himself into the air. Spinning rapidly, he extended both hands upward, radiating a venomous aura. "Venom Wave!" the old man roared as he closed in on Alexander, his eyes filled with madness while he spun like a whirlwind. Alexander, unfazed, simply took a step forward and delivered a hammering blow. Viper Ronin''s eyes widened in shock¡ªhis spinning attack had been effortlessly dodged. In that moment, he caught sight of Alexander at his side, his seemingly ordinary fist barreling toward his face. Bang! Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire The force of that deceptively simple punch struck his cheek with crushing power, instantly halting his momentum. His vision blurred, his eyes rolling white as Alexander exerted even more force, sending him hurtling down toward the ground. The old man''s body hit the ground with such force that cracks spread across the surface. His body even bounced slightly, like a pillow tossed onto the floor, before settling motionless. Viper Ronin wasn''t dead¡ªAlexander could still hear his heavy breathing. He was merely unconscious, so it was fine. Even if he had died, it wouldn''t have mattered to him. Sliding his hands back into his pockets, Alexander shifted his gaze toward the martial artist standing in the corner, his expression calm and unreadable. The spectators watching the scene were gripped with fear. Ethan and Jonathan felt their scalps go numb as they processed how easily Alexander had defeated the old master. But unlike them, Shanks and Benjamin had a different reaction. The light in Benjamin''s eyes grew even brighter¡ªbecause now, they had a chance to survive. Shanks was in awe. Even though he could defeat the old man, it wouldn''t have been this one-sided. If he used his own techniques, he might achieve a similar result¡ªprobably. But in reality, he knew he couldn''t do what this kid had just done. Alexander''s attacks seemed to lack any discernible technique, yet their sheer power was overwhelming. Valentine, still processing what had happened, felt as if she were in a dream. Was her employee actually this godly? "Why does he even work at a restaurant? If he''s this strong, he could just apply to be a bodyguard or take on other power-related jobs," she thought inwardly, her gaze filled with curiosity as she studied Alexander. "It''s your turn," Alexander spoke in a low voice, yet Ronaldo heard him clearly. The martial artist had remained silent up until now, but upon being called out, he responded with a bright smile¡ªcompletely unfazed by the battle that had just unfolded. He had confidence in his own strength, and given his opponent''s younger age, he believed he held the advantage. "You are strong, but you''re still young. Arrogance at your age is normal, but knowing when to restrain it is what matters," Ronaldo said, his expression shifting as his gaze turned icy cold. In an instant, he unleashed a powerful pressure that blanketed the entire area. Jonathan, Ethan, Valentine, Benjamin, and Shanks all felt the overwhelming force pressing down on them¡ªit was as if a heavy car had been placed on their backs, making their breathing labored. Ronaldo''s eyes gleamed when he noticed that Alexander remained completely unaffected. But Alexander, seeing Valentine sweating and the others struggling to breathe, calmly took one hand out of his pocket. With a simple flick of his finger, a wave of power surged forward, instantly neutralizing the oppressive force Ronaldo had released. "Are there any more tricks?" Alexander asked in a carefree tone. Hearing this, Ronaldo''s expression twisted in fury. A devilish smile spread across his face as he replied in a cold, shrill voice. "Yes." With that, he pounced at Alexander, his fist glowing brightly. Chapter 1 - 1 The Beginning In a room inside lay a cozy bed and in that place a young man was in a sleep, but slowly his brows began to tremble slowly, he slowly opened his eyelids and a bluish pupil just like that of a jewel can be seen. He had a well developed face, with tall bridge nose, short hair, sharp eyes, and a perfect jawline. He slowly woke up and sat up in his cozy bed, as he stretched his arms up a soft yawn escaped from his mouth. The young man name is Alexander Ashbourne a graduated student from high school a few months ago is their graduation and he''s finally going to be a college students soon, he slowly got up from bed and went into the bathroom inside his room. Other than his bed there is a kitchen and a personal bathroom in his apartment, he paid 3,000 Pesos monthly to live here. Which is a great amount for him as a student being all alone by his self.Seeing this he remembered his grandfather and a great anger could be seen from his eyes, but he slowly took a small sigh and continued. He cleaned his self and dry his self up and wore a white t-shirt and a black short. When all is done he fixed his hair and went outside his apartment, opening the door a room number 120 is where he reside, besides him the door was also opened and a girl with pink hair with a cute and chiseled face appeared on his sight. He slightly greet the girl with a smile and the girl with pink hair replied with a smile as well. Her dimples and cute round eyes were very attractive to see. Alexander then closed the door and bid his farewell. The pink haired girl looked towards Alexander back as he slowly walked down the stairs. "What should I do for the moment? I''ve better find a new job to earn some extra money for the meantime" Alexander though as he slowly walked down the stair with his hands on his pocket. He needed to save money for college if he ever wanted to finish his studies. He had tried a lot of work like being a waiter, cashier, janitor, librarian, and even a construction worker just to provide for his self. After walking down the stairs he got out of the apartment and walk besides the lane. There are a lot of cars and civilian walking around this place. Walking for sometime he saw a restaurant and there was a sign in the glass read. [Wanted Waiter] Alexander stop in his tracks and stood still at the spot outside the restaurant, it has a big clean window inside there are some big goods furniture and tables, there are even lots of customers eating at the place. "Should I apply" The first thing Alexander though as he saw the sign if he could apply to work at this place. While he was just standing there for a moment his gaze not leaving not leaving the sign, the door then was opened and a woman with a white long sleeve and a skirt wearing a glasses came to his view. Her appearance is someone like that who works in an office, her gaze lingered towards Alexander as she scan him from high to low. Hearing the sound of the door being opened, he shifted his vision and saw the woman eyes scanning him like an X-ray machine. "Good morning young man, are you looking for a job?" The woman said as she lowered her glasses. "Me?" Alexander replied suddenly, stunned from the sudden question."Yes who else would I be talking to" The woman said with a laugh continuing his words, "Would you like to apply at Layla''s Restaurant, I''m the owner of this place and I have seen you standing there for some time now, your gaze was not even leaving the sign one bit" The woman said with a smile, she looks mature and a beauty as well. She had those perfect curves, big marshmallows, and those long and sexy legs her hair was draped blood red making him have a unresistible charm. Nonetheless Alexander wasn''t thinking of something lewd and just looked at the woman with his clear eyes, he was a little embarrassed. "I can''t believe she actually seen me like an idiot outside his restaurant, looking at the sign for some time now." He said as he diverted his eyes, looking back again he confronted the woman gaze and replied. "Is there a slot for this restaurant Ma''am, I would very much like to apply but I did not bring any document for my application" Alexander said as he scratched his head with a silly smile. The woman hearing this just smiled professionally and replied, "There''s no need for that I''m just going to interview you, and I just only want to see your ID. It''s not like it''s a big company that needs a lot of requirements" she said while finishing with a smile. Alexander could not help but be heart stricken by this matured woman in front of him. Hearing no reply the woman then proceeds saying. "So do you want to apply?" Still in his world and hearing the matured woman voice again, Alexander hurriedly replied "Yes ma''am I would really love to" "Good come inside and follow me" The woman said as she took a turn and went inside the restaurant, Alexander then followed suit. He saw a lot of customers some wearing an office suit drinking coffee and some are just having their morning breakfast. Arriving at the door the matured woman opened the door and went inside while Alexander went inside as well. There is a big table, and some documents were on it and some pencil and ball ben were place in a cup, the woman then sat at the seat behind the table while alexander seated just in front of the woman." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alright then let me introduce myself, I''m Ms. Valentine Lancaster the owner of this restaurant and can you please introduce yourself" The woman said as she cupped her hands in the table. Alexander then focused and turned serious by answering the question. "Good morning ma''am, I am Alexander " he answered honestly as Valentine continued asking him some questions, about his experience, his reason why he wanted this job. Hearing Alexander answer the woman just nodded her head with a smile clearly satisfied, after the roundabout question and answer goes in a cycle the interview finally ended then Valentine said." You can now start on Monday; your work shift will start 7:00am to 5:00pm. If you have any questions, you can just come to me and ask directly." Valentine said her smile never fades. "Ok boss I''ll just come to you if there''s any problems" Alexander said. "Please just call me Ms. or Ma''am Valentine, that word does not fit for my image" Valentine said. "Ok ma''am" Alexander replied. With the interview come to an end and looking at the calendar the year is in 2024 in the month of May, day 10, it''s Friday and he will start to work in Monday. He then went into a food stall where the food is not overly expensive and order a lunch to fill his hunger. Today is his birthday and when he looked at his phone an old model of Samsung Version 11, there are lots of cracks on his screen and navigated his fingers towards the Message app. He saw that there is no message from his family and his anger rises even more. Shaking his head he decided to finish his food and not bother about them anymore. When he got home, he took a shower and dry his self-up he slumped towards the bed and took his phone, he opened his Bank Account and checked the amount of money left in his balance [1,203 Pesos] he sighted thinking how poor he really is. His salary from working to the restaurant in a day is around 1,000 pesos, in a week he could earn around 7,000 pesos which is pretty good than the other restaurant, he could even pay the enrollment and buy some clothes for his upcoming college. As he put his put his phone back in the table just beside his bed and looked at the ceiling and think about his plans, suddenly something came that is straight out from a Sci-Fi movie. [Hello host {Idle Money System} had finally integrated after 18 years of accumulating energy, you can now make money, buy skills or even trade with otherwolders.] "Whatttt!" Alexander said as he sat up from his sleeping posture. Chapter 2 - 2 Im Rich Sitting at his bed the screen in front of him never leaved his field of view, he tried touching but it just like an air where his arms just went through it. "What the heck is this" Alexander said as he keep brushing his hands of to the panel, its like an hologram. Then suddenly a words appeared on the panel. [Host, please keep your hands away in the system panel] Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Reading the words Alexander quickly took his hands back and the text began to changed again. [This is the {Idle Money System} it generates money by time passess, you can earn lots of money and buy some skills in the system or even trade with otherworlders. Your current stats are] [Status Name:Alexander Title: None Level: 1 Strength: 9 Speed: 8 Defense: 8 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 4 pesos Balance: 1,203 Pesos Skills: None] Seeing his very own stats with his face attached at the left side he already adapted his self to this system of his, he could see that the earnings that was just 1 began to grow 1 per 10 seconds making it 4 pesos. "System can you tell me why the earnings is increasing per 10 seconds?" Alexander said filled with questions. He''s not worried about his strength nor his skills or even his charismas. It''s not like he could make any money by having a good face right? So he decided to ask first on what is earning because it looks like money. [The earnings is the amount of money that is generated as time pass, you can upgrade it to increase the amount of money it generated per seconds, or you can increase the speed of the time to generate the money per seconds.] "How much to upgrade to increase the value of earnings?" Alexander inquired. [To upgrade just click the {+} button, so you could gain exp to unlock some other functions of the system] [Generated MoneyEarnings Generator{+}: 1 pesos, per 10 sec Total Earnings : 14 Earnings (level: 1) upgrade the value of earnings to {2 pesos} will cost around 500 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 1) Upgrade the speed of earning to {9.8 per/sec} will cost around 100 pesos. Tap Money{+} 1 pesos per tap Total Earning : 0 Tap Earning(level: 1) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {2 pesos} will cost around 1,000 pesos. Tap Multiplier(level: 1) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 taps will cost around 10,000 pesos Locked: Unlocked by reaching level 10 Locked: Unlocked by reaching level 20 Locked: Unlocked by reaching level 50] As he saw the details of how much money he could make, Alexander felt that this was so slow even for him, he did not upgrade directly but decided what to upgrade with his money wisely. Even if his system can generate money, he must still be responsible for what he was doing. "System where should I just tap from the Tap Money?" Alexander inquired not knowing where to tap. [You could just open the Tap Money app in your phone and tap anywhere, Host does not need to worry because only you can see the app so you don''t need to hide while tapping like an idiot] The system said in his last statement which makes it more convenient but calling me an idiot makes it a little harsh. He then opened the app and began to tap, and a 1 number appeared in his previous tapped. He continued tapping like an idiot until his finger began to numb. "This is actually so tiring" he said as his fingers trembled, he earned for about 121 pesos from tapping. "System if I want to withdraw the total earning will it just be deposited into my account?" Alexander inquired. [Yes Host it will directly be send into your account] "But will the bank executives or the police going to investigate on where I got this money?" Alexander though clearly bothered about this. The system who can read his thoughts answered. [The Host does not need to bother about something like this, it will send to your account legally without any illegal activities related] Seeing the system explanation, he could not help but sigh in relief, "System can you explain to me what the system shop is and what is the trade you meant?" [Sure, the shop is where you could buy some skills, pills, recipes, products and more. As you buy more from the system it will increase your privilege level, reaching the second level of the system shop where items become more rare and expensive as you increased your level.] [For the Trade, it''s a trade for every otherworlders where you could trade any skills, things, or objects in your possession for something you would like to have] "Otherworlders? what do you mean, are there any other living people other than us living in earth?" Alexander asked thinking that they are alone in this world, but it''s not actually true. [Yes Host, there are lots of life other than this universe I even detected that there is life just 1 Billion light years away from yours. Otherwolders doesn''t just means beyond your universe but also the other realms.] Alexander was greatly shocked from this discovery there''s actually life just a billion of light years away from his position, he could not doubt the system because its existence is already more mysterious than the life of the other beings. Alexander then was about time to continue tapping when the system panel showed up again. [After the integration a Novice Gift pack will be given to the host do you want to claim?] {Yes} or {No} Seeing this he did not even think for a second and quickly clicked the Yes button, cause who''s the idiot who wants to click No from this gift. [You have claimed the Novice Gift Pack, do you want to Open it?] {Open} or {Closed} Alexander did not think twice as well and quickly clicked the {Open} button. The gift in the holographic screen began to shake and shine and finally three random items appeared. [You have received a ''Toothbrush''] [You have received ''20% coupon in the system shop''] [You have received ''10,000 pesos''] Then the items went into his inventory while the money he had won went into his balance in his status, suddenly his phone made a notification sound. Opening it he saw a message that he received 10,000 pesos in his account. "I''m going to become rich from this" Alexander said with a smile. "System I would like to upgrade the Tap Money Multiplier to level 2" Alexander said making his choice. [Tap multiplier (level:1) Upgrade cost: 10,000(Upgrade) or (Closed)] Upgrading gives him 10 Exp points and by tapping, it generated some random 1 to 2 exp points. Clicking the upgrade button the Tap Multiplier finally reached level 2, he then began to tap and every time he taps in the screen. [+1 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+1 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+2 Exp] It was accompanied by an extra tap making him earned a total of 2 pesos per one tap. Reaching 1,000 pesos from tapping and his earnings from Earnings Generator he can upgrade the value of tap money per seconds. Upgrading it he finally reached level 2 in Tap Money. [+10 Exp] [Tap Money{+} 2 pesos per tap total earning : 0 Tap Earning(level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap multiplier(level: 2) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 tap will cost around 50,000 pesos. Alexander then continued on his grinding to upgrade the Earnings Generator so he can sleep and wake up with a good amount of money, he clicked until his fingers become numb and just focused on upgrading the earning generator making the {Earning, level: 5) while the Speed Earnings is still level 1. [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] [+10 Exp] He reached Level 2 from his upgrading alone receiving 2 free points to be placed on his stats. Current status [Status Experience: 0/200 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 15 pesos Balance: 0 Pesos Skills: None] [Money Generator Earnings Generator{+}: 5 pesos per 10 sec Total Earnings: 15 Earnings (level: 5) upgrade the value of earnings to {6 pesos} will cost around 6,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 1) Upgrade the speed of earning to {9.8 per/sec} will cost around 100 pesos. Tap Money{+} 2 pesos per tap Total Earning : 0 Tap Earning(level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap Multiplier(level: 2) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 tap will cost around 50,000 pesos] He then finally closed his eyes thinking something, until he fell sleep, dreaming that this is his favorite or the best gift he ever had.] [Author here this is my new book ''Idle Money System'', this is a fantasy novel where the MC wants to have a good life of course it can only be achieved by being rich] Chapter 3 - 3 [No Title] Waking up in his bed and seeing that the system was gone he was sad suddenly thinking that it was just a dream, but when he called it, the system appeared making him sigh in relief. "System how much did I earn today?" Alexander inquired, the first thing he wants to know is how much he earned rather than doing something more productive. [The total earnings you have made this past 7 hours is 12,600 pesos] The system calculated the total amount of generated money this past 7 hours, with this he does not need to worry about his enrolment or even his everyday life. He then took a shower hurriedly then dry his self-up this time he wore a black t-shirt and a short in black plain. After finishing up he took his phone and opened the Tap Money he quickly tapped in the screen nonstop until he has reached 20,000 pesos in his balance that also earned him a bunch of exp points. With this amount he could finally replace his old phone and buy a new one. He can still remember that his phone Samsung was already 5 years old clearly an antique, he then got out of the place and this time the girl besides his room also got out at the same time. Alexander just smiled to greet while the cute pink haired girl smiled in reply as well, this time she wore a white dress, with a white hat on top of his head she wore a blue slipper as she greets Alexander. Alexander then continued on his way leaving the girl when he''s done with the greetings, going out of the place. He stopped a mini bus and took a ride paying only 12 pesos for the minimum fare for student. There are just a few people in the bus because its Saturday. [Don''t ask the reason ok, that''s based on life experience. Author] It took a while until finally he reached the mall called Robinson its big and there are lots of people coming and going through the place, going inside and walking through the hall many people in the area look at him. Because of his handsomeness his charm is clearly top notch making him stand out, but Alexander did not allow this to bother him but continued on his way. He took an escalator and went to the second floor, he roamed around the place until he saw the shop named Samsung, there are lots of version for this phone like a folding one not knowing how is that possible. Finally, he found his ideal phone, Samsung Galaxy A34. Not really his ideal phone but its Samsung so it''s good. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Good morning, Sir is there anything you would like to buy" The saleslady said with a smile, she was charmed by the young man charm and decided to assist him. "Excuse me miss, I would like to buy this phone can your pack it up for me" Alexander replied with courtesy as well. The saleslady looking at where Alexander is pointing at looked at the phone in display and could not help being happy, if he sells this, she can get a commission. "Sure sir, this phone is one of the best Samsung Galaxy A34, it is one of our best sold phones. At around 15,990 it provides amazing features like quad lens camera is perfect for capturing high quality photos, whether you''re out during the day or taking shots in low light. The phone is powered up by a strong processor that ensures everything runs smoothly from multi-tasking to gaming. If you paid it in whole, you could get a 10% discount, would you like to buy sir?" The saleslady said as she took the phone inside the glass. "Yes, wrap it up for me miss" Alexander nodded his head, hearing a good detail about his phone. The saleslady was so excited as she took a box where the phone inside was sealed and new. She placed the Phone box in the counter as she extends her hand. "Card or Cash, Sir?" The saleslady asked. "Here just swiped my card" As he took his card on his wallet. Taking the card from Alexander hands she even slightly touched his hands in a tease, Alexander could not help but smile wryly from this. "That will be around 15,990 pesos, minus the 10% discount that''s a total of 14,310 pesos sir" The saleslady said as she swiped the card, the payment was done, and she wrapped the phone. Alexander then thanked the Saleslady as he took the wrapped phone leaving the shop, the saleslady escorted him out and spoke. "Come back again sir if you would like another transaction" she said with a smile. "Sure miss" He replied with a smile, as he was far away from the shop, he excitedly unboxes the phone and took out his new phone. Remembering something important he asked the system directly. "System what about the app for Tap Money should I download it?" He spoke. [Don''t worry Host it will be automatically downloaded as long as the phone is yours] Seeing the reply from the system he placed his old phone on the newly unwrapped box. He decided to have a meal first before continuing to grind for money again. He went to a famous fast-food restaurant named Jollibee and have a great meal. There are lot of eyes on him, but he was unbothered about it, finishing the meal he went out and leaved the mall. He went back to his small apartment and continued on his grinding for the day finally night came, and he earned a total of 34,000 from Tapping and 16,000 pesos for Earning generator a total of 50,000 pesos. He was about to fall sleep but the trade button in the system panel was glowing red, clicking he saw the item in display. [Strengthening Pill grade: Low Description: Slightly increased the physique of the user Owners Note: 10,000 silver coins or Trade with Equal Value] The owner of this item was called ''HalimawMagJakol'' his pseudonym, he seems to be trading it for 10,000 silver coins or an item of equivalent value. But because of its lower grade no one bough it. But Alexander clearly does not know anything about this. "What''s a silver coins? Where can I get that?" Alexander said, filled with question marks. [Do you want to convert your money to their world currency] [1 Bronze coins = 100 pesos 1 silver coins = 1,000 pesos 1 gold coins = 100,000 pesos] Alexander was filled with curiosity about the item and when he looked at the big difference in currency rate, even with his total balance he could only buy 50 silver coins making him sad. Suddenly another item was put to be trade and when he look at the item he was surprised. [Everlasting Sword grade: Legendary Description: A great sword. Owner''s note: I''ll only accept 100,000,000 high grade spiritual stones.] Seeing the zero''s he felt like he was crazy for putting that up and the description he provided is only a great sword, the name of the trader is "DrunkOldMan". "Is this old man really drunk though? what is even a spirit stones and he even want millions of it" [Spiritual Stone or Spirit Stones, are the energy of heaven and earth that was absorbed and condensed into a crystal] [Do you want to convert your money to their world currency] [1 low grade spirit stones = 100,000,000 pesos 1 middle grade spirit stones = 1,000,000,000 pesos 1 high grade spirit stone = 100,000,000,000 pesos] Seeing the amount of zero just for 1 spirit stones he felt like he would go in poverty if he ever decided to buy one of this. Like whom would even spend that much money for that sword? Yes, its grade was Legendary, but this drunk guy is trading it for this amount. [the Grading for the item is: Low Middle High Heaven Epic Legendary Mythic Emperor ???] Beyond the emperor is an item that is already impossible to be graded because its power and capability is not something that can be measured. He was just thinking about who would buy this when it was traded by someone named "SwordAddict". Seeing this he could not help but doubt himself, "I think I''m the only who''s poor in this Trading center, can I also trade with this?" Alexander though as he took a drink besides him "Mountain Dew" is the bottle of drink where he just bought it at the store earlier this morning before he got back. Opening the trading center, he decided to make a trade with this. "I should just make it simple" Alexander though then finally he put it in trade. [Mountain Dew grade:??? Description: A good drink for those who are tired. Owners Note: I''m only trading it for 10 silver coins] In this transaction he just set it to whoever pays the right amount the item will be automatically traded to the person. He decided to set the currency the same as the guy "HalimawMagJakol", Seeing the grade is filled with question marks he inquired to the system. [The reason it''s question mark is because it''s a useless item that its grade is below than the grading system] Receiving the reply, he could not help but furrowed his brows, "Wow that''s a little cruel of you system, for you to call my favorite drink a trash is like hitting me with a knife personally" he said inwardly from the system sharp message, "There all done" Alexander said with a smile he decided to trade his drink for fun it''s not like he will die from trading his drink, right? Not knowing that he will become rich thanks to the product made from his own world. Chapter 4 - 4 A Happy Cooperation In another realm inside a room a man that is slightly fat with an eyeglasses sticking to his right eye, was scrolling down in the trading center. "Are there anything good to trade here?" He sighted with boredom as he swiped his fingers from the holographic panel. Finally he stumbled upon Alexander item, he was about to continue his swipe but find the product so good. The design of the bottle was different from what he have seen, and some weird letters were written in the bottle. "What''s the name of this Item? Moun-tain Dew, this is my first time hearing something like this" He said as he read the name of the product." A good drink for those who are tired'' what a boast let me see if it''s really good" The fat man said as he clicked the trade, 10 bronze coins is not a big amount to him so why bother about this. [Trade Complete], The system panel appeared showing the success of the transaction. Then the bottle of Mountain Dew was in his system storage, he took it out and held it in his hands, its not cold anymore and was just in the right temperature. He was satisfied from the design of this bottle, and it was even made with plastic not glass. Which makes him more impressed he can''t read the writings due to the difference in language, but he understands that the green and black word with big font-size is the name Mountain Dew. "It''s not about the outside let''s taste the inside" The fat man said as he opened the bottle, drinking the green liquid. With his lewd face and those words, if people would have heard him, he will be called a pervert for life. Tasting it, he felt like he was really out of this world. The taste was even better than the wine he had ever taste in his life. He quickly gulped every last bit of the drink and when it was finished he just noticed that he finished it all, there even still some liquids on his lips which he wiped it with his tongue. "That''s it, why did you only sell 1 bottle of this?" The fat man said angrily, he could not forget how tasty the drink is he felt like his tiredness really went away from drinking that drink. "This drink could make lot of money if mass produced" The fat man with eyes shining accompanied by a gleeful smile. He looked for the seller of this bottle drink, then he saw that his name is ''AlexanderTheGrate'' he messaged Alexander account saying. "Good Morning dear sir, I would like to propose a deal to buy some of those bottle drinks. If you ever want to make a deal just reply to my message right away" The fat man texted. After a few minutes and seeing no reply, he was anxious but waited thinking that the guy behind this item is busy. Unknown to him Alexander was having his good night sleep. Finally the morning came and Alexander woke up, he washed up, brushed his teeth and wear his old t-shirt that is already fade in color. Seeing how old and ugly his clothes is he decided to buy some new ones. "Now that money is not a problem I should go to the mall and buy some clothes, let me see how much I have made today" Alex said as he called the system, and the panel appeared. [The total earnings you have made this past 12 hours is 21,600 pesos] [Because of the Successful trade for your item you''ve received 10 silver coins converting it to this world currency you''ve made 10,000 pesos] [Total Earnings: 31,600 pesos, your current balance is now 81,600 pesos] [Status Experience: 0/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 81,600 Pesos Skills: None] Seeing the amount of money he had, it feels like he was really having a dream with this amount he could even stopped school and be lazy. Suddenly another prompt of the system appeared. [Now that the Host is not confused anymore the first mission was initiated] [Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Time Limit: 1 Week] Seeing the difficulty is set to easy he knew that he could become a millionaire in just 2-3 days by just tapping, so he could understand that this mission is not really that hard. But remembering something important on where he got that 10 silver coins, he went to his trading history and saw that someone actually bough it. "Someone actually bought my drink?" Alexander said with a stunned face. Seeing that there was an unread message he was even more surprised when he read the message of this guy, he wants to have deal with him which made his mouth in awe. "Don''t tell me Mountain Dew is not available in that world? Even though it''s not like those drink that can offer super strength, but the taste is clearly good. Even here in my country it was a famous drink. "I should reply to his message" Alexander though as he messages the guy nicknamed, ''FatMerchant69''. Sending the message that he just composed the fat guy in another realm in a reclined chair swaying up and down waiting for Alexander message without any sleep and seeing that there was an unread message he hurriedly read it. [AlexanderTheGrate: Sure, what deal do you propose?] Reading this he hurriedly replied to alexander message. [FatMerchant69: Well, it''s like this I''ve drink your bottle of drinks and planned to propose a deal with you, what about I''ll buy 1 bottle of those drinks for 20 Silver coins. If it can be mass produced I would buy sets of those, do you agree sir?] Reading his long text and his plans to buy more of those bottle drink, he could not help but smile smugly. This is money so he did not accept it yet and raised the price higher, he could see that this guy really wanted this drink. [AlexanderTheGrate: The price is a little low because the ingredients to make this is hard to come by and I''m not confident if I can mass produce this what about 1 bottle for 100 silver coins?] Alexander messaged the guy again, reading his message the fat guy decided to bargain to lower the price. [FatMerchant69: Sir the price is a little much what about 30 silver coins] Reading this Alexander decided to bargain again replying. [AlexanderTheGrate: 80] S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [FatMerchant69: 40] [AlexanderTheGrate: 60] [FatMerchant69: 45] [AlexanderTheGrate: Okay 50 is my last offer take it or not take it?] Alexander decided to set the price in 50 silver coins, if the guy does not accept then he could just lower the price, right? It''s about making the item rare to make it more expensive and in demand. The fat guy could see that there are no room for any bargain and accepted the price with a smile. [FatMerchant69: Alright deal, how much could you produce of this drink in 1 week] Seeing that the user named ''FatMerchant69'' was tricked and decided to compromise his smile grow wider. [AlexanderTheGrate: I could produce 12 bottles per day, with a total of 84 bottle per week. Don''t worry as the production rate improved the production for our drinks will improved. 1 set will be 12 bottles and will cost around 600 silver coins] [FatMerchant69: I see, then I would like to preorder 7 set of this drink. I will pay you right now to show my generosity] The fat merchant smiled as he took the glasses in his right eye and cleaned the lens, Alexander showing how generous this FatMerchant69 he could not help but be happy from his scheme. [AlexanderTheGrate: Sure, just send me the money and I will send your order of 7 sets of Mountain Dew tomorrow, because there are still some remaining bottles left in our stock. That will be around 4,200 coins] [FatMerchant69: Sure, here''s my payment I welcome our good operation] The fat guys said with wicked smile on his face, Alexander on the other side could not help but cursed happily. "That guy did not even think twice and just buy my bottle of drink for 50 silver coins each. Talk about stupidity, hahahhaah." he said while laughing. Unknown to him the fat merchant also cursed him. "That seller is really stupid, He does not even know the value of what he is selling, with this I can earn 3x the profit by selling it for 2-3 gold coins per bottle" The fat merchant laughed his voiced echoed throughout the room. [What do you guys think? who got tricked Alexander, or the Fat Merchant share your thoughts here!] Chapter 5 - 5 Meeting A Friend [Re-Edited] After finishing his transaction towards ''FatMerchant69'' he received the payment for his drink. [You have received 4,200 silver coins from ''FatMerchant69''] [Converting 4,200 silver coins to this world currency with a total of: 4,200,000 pesos] [First time transaction will cost around 3,900,000 pesos, You have earned 210,000 pesos] [Status Name: Alexander Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 740 pesos Balance: 291,600 Pesos Skills: None] "Why is it so expensive? Isn''t this like stealing my first million without a trace? The charge is even expensive when I pay for my documents" he said with a frown, wanting an explanation. [I''m Broke] The system replied only in two words, making him speechless and angry. A money-making system, being broke? This is not explanatory at all! Well at the least he earned, 210,000 pesos so its still good. He had a total of 291,600 pesos in his bank account, he even made 740 pesos just for wasting time talking to that guy. Now that it''s done, he should go to the market and bought some Mountain Dew and also buy some new clothes too. Going out in his room he did not meet the girl again and went to the shop by riding a public ride. Arriving at the mall he went to the grocery and there are lots of products like foods, shampoos, biscuits, and lots of things. Strolling around he found the Mountain Dew wrapped in a box, every box there are over 2 sets in every wrapped box 1 sets equals to 12 bottles. He took one of the boxes which is a little heavy with only his one arm carrying, he did not see the abnormality because with the 1 point increased in his stats increased his strength by 1 whole. Arriving at the counter he asked the cashier. "Miss how much is 1 box of Mountain Dew?" Hearing the inquiries of a young man the teenage girl wearing a mask that only her eyes can be seen, shifting her gaze towards Alexander. She stood still stunned from how handsome this guy in poor clothing is. She quickly adjusted his self and could not help but be embarrassed. "Yes sir, one box of Mountain Dew cost around 400 pesos" The girl answered professionally her eyes were like gone from the smile, thinking that this girl must have a blood of a Chinese. "I''ll take 7 boxes and also do you offer delivery for this?" Alexander asked. "Yes we offer delivery but it will cost you 200 pesos but if its far the price will increased" The girl in a masked said. "I see, then I would like to order 7 boxes to be delivered in this address. I can pay right now" Alexander said while giving a note towards cashier. She took the note and remembered that this place is not really far. "Sure sir, that will be around 2,800 pesos for the seven boxes of Mountain Dew and 200 pesos for the delivery a total of 3,000 pesos." She said after calculating the total amount. Alexander then took out his card and the girl then swiped the money from the scanner paying the bill. [Current Balance: 288,600 Pesos] He then leaved the girl and left his number to the cashier to call him if the delivery has arrived. He then left the first floor and went into escalator to go all the way through the 3rd floor, he bough 3 t-shirt from Adidas and 3 shorts as well that cost around 599 each. With a total of 3,594 pesos was minus on his account. [Current Balance: 285,006 Pesos] When he was about to go to the escalator exit the mall someone tapped him in his shoulder, when he looked back its a friend that he had not seen after his graduation. A man in wearing a black t shirt with a skull face design attached to it, his wearing a short while wearing a shoe. He had black hair that was trimmed like a buzzcut his face was friendly as he looked at Alexander even though he looked like a thug, but he is not. "Alexander It''s been a long time, your actually here in the City? What school are you going to enroll" The guy asked. "Oh, Cedrick it''s actually you what a coincidence. I''m actually here to buy some clothes and was about to go home" Alexander replied with a smile. His best-friend Cedrick is one of his few friends that treats him like a real family, when he was bullied in high school due to his low background and handsome appearance. Cedrick is always there to rescue him, even when he was sent to the principal office for beating a guy until it turns black and blue. "Do you want to have drink there and catch up my treat" Alexander said, as he pointed at a small shop for beverages, it''s a Milktea if you know what it is. Seeing the place he pointed at, Cedrick does not know whether to agree or not, he know his friend financial situation than everyone else. He even saved money just to pay for school fees, even though he had no more food to eat. He even tried selling his favorite food outside just to earn some extra cash, the food his friend made using the Binangkal Recipe, made it more delicious. Reading his though Alexander just smiled and said, "Don''t worry I have money" Hearing Alexander words, he was feeling a little skeptical if his friend really had the ability to pay. Or even he could pay is their money going to be left for him to spend? "Are you sure? I have money so you don''t need to pay my drink" Cedrick said. "Yes don''t worry I''ll pay, I have money so you don''t need to worry" Alexander said comfortingly. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The both of them went into the store and sat inside a Milktea Store, Alexander then ordered 2 Milktea in large size, he ordered a Chocolate one with addons black pearls, while for his friend Cedrick he ordered a Buko Pandan Flavor with addons black pears. The total amount is 220, while each cost 110 pesos. He paid it with his card and his balance lost 220 pesos, with this small amount of money to be paid he did not even bat an eye at it. Bringing the drinks he placed it towards the table giving it to Cedrick while he sipped his Milktea and sat down at the seat. "Thank you for the drink" Cedrick said while he took the plastic bottle cup and sipped at the straw. "Don''t mention it" Alexander spoked while shaking his hand. "So how long have you been in here?" Alex asked with a sipped on his drink. "Not long I only been here for around 1 week, I''ve finally found a Boarding House but it''s only a bed space it''s not so expensive the monthly payment is 1,500 so It''s good" Cedrick spoked. Alexander nodded his head, the same as him Cedrick is also from a poor family, he had 1 little brother and 1 elder sister that is already in college, their family income is only average to support his elder sister to finish his studies. "What about you Alex? How are you" Cedrick inquired, the two of them had not meet after graduation. The two of them began to catch up with somethings. Until finally Cedrick remembered something. "Oh yeah, it''s Zya birthday next Monday they are going to celebrate it in the hotel, I think they have rented the whole floor do you want to come?" Cedrick asked, as he looked at Alexander face. Hearing this Alexander was contemplating, he remembered how much he liked Zya not only she is beautiful but also smart and rich. While the both of them had a great relationship, he did not want to ruin their friendship if he''s going to confessed. Cedrick knew this looking at Alexander with his head lowered, hell even Zya knew of his feelings but waiting for him to confess. But he did not say anything or tried to force Alexander to go to the party, but with their friendship he should really come. "Sure, I''ll go" Alexander said with a nod. "Alright then we''ll see each other next Monday you''ve better get a gift wrapped up, or if you need money, I can let you borrow mine" Cedrick said. Alexander just shook his head declining, "Don''t worry I have money now. I think I should say this to you, if you ever need extra bucks just come to me" he said with a teased. They took a while to have a conversation and finally they separated, Alexander then went back to his apartment and the delivery guy arrived he gave the guy a tip of 1,000 pesos to show his gratitude. The delivery guy thinks that his gay and wanted to Bombayahh, with him by giving money. But he''s wrong and left dejectedly but he still thanked Alexander, from his GE-NO-RO-SI-TY. Alexander then opened the box which had a total of 14 sets, he then sends the 7 sets of Mountain Dew to ''FatMerchant69'' and the 7 sets of Mountain Dew was illuminated by some white light before it dissipated in plain sight. [AlexanderTheGrate: There, I''ll send the next batches of goods next week] [FatMerchant69: Ok] After that Alexander decided to upgrade the Earnings Generator, to earn more money while idling. Opening the system, he navigated his finger to the upgrade button. Chapter 6 - 6 First Day at Work [Status Name: Alexander Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 2,595 pesos Balance: 285,006 Pesos Skills: None] [Generated Money Earnings Generator {+}: 5 pesos per 10 seconds Total Earnings: 2,595 Pesos Earnings (level: 5) upgrade the value of earnings to {6 pesos} will cost around 6,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 1) Upgrade the speed of earning to {9.8 per/sec} will cost around 100 pesos. Tap Money {+} 2 pesos per tap Total Earnings: 0 Tap Earning (level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 2) for every one tap will be equivalent to 2 taps, for the next upgrade will cost around 50,000 pesos] He already had good sum of money just by walking out. He decided to upgrade it to the max and focus on the Tap Money tomorrow. Navigating to the plus button he clicked it, and two options of upgrade appeared. [Earning] or [Speed Earnings] He decided to upgrade the Speed Earning to generate money much faster. Clicking it he agreed directly for upgrading, only costing for 100 pesos. [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 2] [+10 Exp] [Speed Earnings (level:2) Upgrade cost: 200 (Upgrade) or (Closed)] The price then increased by 100 making it 200 so he upgrades it directly [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 3] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 4] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 5] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 6] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 7] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 8] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 9] [+10 Exp] [You have upgraded Speed Earnings to level 10] [+10 Exp] Earnings Generator {+}: 5 pesos per 9 seconds Total Earnings: 15 Earnings (level: 5) upgrade the value of earnings to {6 pesos} will cost around 6,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 5) Upgrade the speed of earning to {8.8 per/sec} will cost around 100,000 pesos. "There, it''s actually not very expensive, now that it has reached level 5. The price to upgrade to the next level just surged 100 times." Seeing the change in price made him stunned. "It just cost around 100 just a seconds ago, why did it multiplied over 100 times" Alexander spoked with brows furrowed. [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 10 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 85 pesos Balance: 284,006 Pesos Skills: None] With this upgrade finally all is done, the money he could make is about 2,000 pesos per hour. It rises over 200 pesos even though it only increased by a small margin, an increased is an increased. Putting the phone besides the table, he got to sleep because tomorrow is his first day at work. Even though he is rich right now and could make money anytime, he can''t just quit at his first day at work. The kind matured woman offered him work, while increasing his salary that could greatly help him if he does not get this system. Closing his eyes he slumped to his bed sleep, night passed and finally its Monday his first ever worked. When it reached 5:00 am in the morning. Alexander just automatically woke up, totally accustomed to waking up early. He went to the shower, after that he brushed his teeth. Getting out of the bathroom only with the towel covering his lower body. He fixed his hair, then wore some clothes he wore trousers this time a long sleeve and a shoe. That took him about 20 mins in total and he went on his way, in the side lane the road is not filled with many vehicles because it''s so early in the morning. He went to a close small restaurant where it offers rice porridge with egg and some coffee. "Auntie 1 porridge please" Alexander spoked to the woman in his forties, her had some strand of white hair and dark circles on her face. Looking at the person who called her aunt just now, her eyes glistened as she saw Alexander, "Alex its actually you, early aren''t we? Did you apply to a new work?" She asked, as she took a bowl and filled it with porridge with an extra egg. "Here I just gave you 2 eggs make sure to finish it all" The good Aunt said with a smile, as she handed the bowl towards Alexander. Receiving the kind grace of this old aunt Alexander could not help but felt good in his heart, when he just came into this place 1 month ago. This kind Aunt name Cynthia always offered him food for free even though he had no cash to pay. When he had no job and no money to spare to buy some food, this aunt always helped him making it seems like her real mother. Alexander did not take the bowl but put his hand on his pocket, searching for something when he touched a piece of paper. A stack of 1,000 pesos bill appeared, earlier before he came to buy. He cashout some of his money on an ATM machine the moment he left. Alexander then gave the money to the good Aunt. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing a stack of cash in Alexander''s hands Cynthia was utterly terrified, she hurriedly held the alexander hands where he held the cash. Squeezing it to a fist while putting it down. "Alexander tell me the truth did you steal this? I know that life is hard but doing bad things to make a living is not good" Cynthia spoke with a trace of anger, though there was also a touch of concern in her voice. Alexander feeling the caring voice in her words could not help but felt warm his heart, then a slight smile bloomed on his face. "Don''t worry auntie I did not steal it but it''s because my business is growing right now, so I''ve made a lot of money. So, I decided to give you some you cannot refuse me auntie just consider is as a payment for all of the free meals" Alexander said, he made it clear so his aunt Cynthia will take the money making him feel at ease. Cynthia was about to refuse, but after hearing his words, she couldn''t help but accept it reluctantly. She knew Alexander''s financial situation, so she responded. "I''ll just keep this money and if you have no money left just come back, and I''ll give you your money back okay" Cynthia spoked, with her hands on Alexander face squeezing his cheeks with her fingers. Alexander had nothing left to say but agreed, as long as his aunt received the money, he will naturally spend it as time passed by. He then took a seat and eat the porridge after that he finally left saying goodbye to Aunt Cynthia. Walking for a while and finally he arrived at the restaurant at exactly 6:30 in the morning, the store entrance door is already open, but the sign is still closed. Going inside the place it had no customer and he saw his boss Valentine sitting at the chair. Seeing Alexander Valentine greets him saying, "You''re actually so early, go to the staff room and wear some waiter clothes, oh yeah before you start, I will first introduce you to the team. Valentine said as she stood up from his seat, Alexander followed behind her. She wore the same clothes just like that of an office lady, wondering what his real occupation is. The both of them went into the kitchen and there are already 3 people in there. There''s a middle-aged guy wearing chef clothes with a spatula on his left hand, the person confronting her is a girl with blond hair, which the face seems to look familiar. Besides the chef is a little girl also wearing a clothe that of a chef. "Look Claire I''ve been teaching you for a week now I think being a cook is really not for you, why don''t you try learning something new" The middle-aged man said with a sight. "But old man Weasley, I''ll try my best to learn can you teach me again. Pleaseee" Claire the blond woman said as she made a cute puppy face. He was supposed to pity Claire but hearing the world old man he was angry all of a sudden, "You brat why do you keep calling me old man? I''m only 44 this year I''m still not in the sixties call me uncle" Weasley the chef spoked with a strict tone. Claire just pouted and seeing the angry appearance of Weasley she decided to tease him more, "Old man Weasly, why are you so angry. Why don''t you calm down first and teach me again gramps" Claire said with a teased. Hearing the word Old man and Gramps some black lines appeared on his forehead, "You kid I''m going to teach you how to respect your elders" As he tried to teach some sense to Claire''s mind, but he was stopped by a hand of a delicate girl behind him. Chapter 7 - 7 First Day at Work 2 "Dad, why don''t you calm down? Look how stressed you are¡ªyou''re even starting to get some strand of white hairs! You''re turning into an old man now," the girl behind him said. "Sophia, not you too," Weasley replied with a forced smile, hearing his daughter call him an old man. "Alright, that''s enough messing around. I''d like you to meet our new recruit," Valentine''s voice echoed through the kitchen. It was then that they realized they had been watched for a while. Weasley hurriedly adjusted his self but when he saw Alexander eyes and broken smile, he knew that his image was already broken. He could not help but cry but had no tears to spare. Claire who was quick to react and changed the atmosphere, she smiled and hurriedly took Alexander hand said with a greeting. "Hello handsome I''m Claire its nice meeting you" she said while shaking Alexander''s hands up and down. Valentine seeing her behavior made a fist in her hands and with a force *bonk. She hit her head with a punch. "Ouch, sis why did you hit me?" Sophia said with tears on her eyes, a red bump seems to have appeared on his head. "Can''t you see your making the new recruit awkward with your behavior, also apologize to Weasley remember no matter how naughty you are. You must respect those who are older." Valentine reprimanded. Hearing her words she could not help pout but did what she said, facing Weasley she bent her head a little saying, "Sorry, about that uncle." Seeing him apologize and getting hit by the boss, he could not but laugh and forgive Claire since she already apologized. Alexander seeing the interaction between his boss and this girl named Claire. "They were actually blood related, no wonder why I seem to have seen her before." Alexander though in his mind. Claire actually had the same features as Ms. Valentine, but she was a little different because of her personality, and underdeveloped peaches. Then Weasley introduced himself with his daughter besides him, which made him shift his attention. "I''m Weasley Thornton the Chef of this restaurant, besides me is my daughter Sophia Thornton. Go and shake hands with Mr.?" Weasley said with a pause, not knowing what is the name of the new recruit. "Oh, I''m Alexander Ashbourne uncle Weasley, Lady Sophia and Ms. Claire." Alexander said with a smile, his smile is like that of a prince in a shining armor. Sophia and Claire could not help but be charmed by Alexander smile. Even Weasley a man felt his heart throbbed for a moment. [Why are you gay?] "Now that you have fully introduced yourself Claire, I want you to guide Alexander to the locker room and show his uniform. I have work for a moment, so I''ll leave it to you guys" Valentine spoke with momentum. All of them nodded and Valentine left the kitchen, leaving only the four of them. Claire then looks at Alexander and said, "Let''s go Alexander, I''ll show you your uniform for today." While exiting the kitchen, before following suite Alexander bade his farewell to the two then went on his way. They then went to another room just a few meters besides the kitchen, going inside he saw that Claire opened a locker and a white uniform for waiter was in her hands. "Here take it just wear it, I suggest for you to take off your clothes cause the weather is hot today" Claire said as her gaze lingered on Alexander body with a smile. Alexander could not help but be alarmed on how naughty her boss young sister is. He then took the clothes in her palms, after that Claire pointed at the dressing room where he takes off his clothes and wear the uniform. The clothes are in a formal outfit. He is wearing a black vest over a white dress shirt, paired with black trousers. The vest has buttons down the front and features a small emblem on the left side. He is also wearing a black tie and white gloves. As Alexander stepped out in his formal waiter uniform¡ªa black vest over a crisp white dress shirt, black trousers, and a neatly tied black tie¡ªhis striking appearance became even more handsome. The sleek lines of the outfit emphasized his tall, broad-shouldered frame, while the elegant cut of the vest complemented his sharp jawline. His black hair, falling just over his piercing blue eyes, seemed to stand out even more against the clean contrast of his attire, making him look both refined and undeniably charming. Claire mouth was in awe she was really dumbstruck by this sudden increased in charm, she could not help but bit her finger seeing Alexander appearance like that of young master. "You look good in that uniform" she said with her face red accompanied by a thumbs up. "Be prepared we are going to be open in just 10 minutes, I''ll go and changed now" Claire said as she opened another locker and took the uniform towards the dressing room. After 3-5 minutes she finally got out. She was wearing a uniform consists of a black, three-quarter sleeve shirt and a full-length dark apron with vertical stripes. The apron has a front pocket and is tied around the waist with a strap that goes over the neck. When Claire stepped out in her waiter uniform¡ªa black, three-quarter sleeve shirt paired with a full-length dark apron adorned with vertical stripes¡ªher natural beauty became even more captivating. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The apron, tied neatly around her waist and draped elegantly over her frame, showing her tall and graceful silhouette. The uniform made her delicate jawline and high cheekbones stand out, while her striking black eyes, framed by long lashes and perfectly arched brows, seemed even more intense. The dark tones of the outfit brought a radiant contrast to her fair skin, making her appear effortlessly charming and stunningly sophisticated. Alexander was breatheless for a moment seeing this, but he gradually recovered seeing Alexander stunned expression, Claire could not help but had a great pride in his beauty. She then went besides her and spoke. "Let''s go I''m going to open the restaurant now" she said with a smile going to the sign hanging closed, flipping it the word Open appeared. [Magic] Alexander knows what to do so he stands at the door of the entrance, waiting for some customers to eat. Finally, a first diner came in and its 3 girls that seems to be around 18-19 their appearance were top notch, this did not affect his focus on his first work and welcomed the three when the entered. "Good morning, ladies do you want to eat? Let me show you your seat" the three who just opened the door were surprised from this great service, seeing the appearance of the waiter in front of them they could not help be in awe. Chapter 8 - 8 First Day of Work 3 They tried comparing those idols appearance to this man in front of them, but they find it unbelievable that this guy is much more handsome than a celebrity. Feeling flustered the girl with glasses answered in a flustered tone. "Yes, we would like to eat" she said with her eyes darting from side to side. Alexander arched a smile which made the three girls be in absolute entranced, Alexander then proceeds with the order. "What do you want to order, here is the Menu" While giving a menu each to the three. Taking the list they still made some slight glances towards Alexander when all is done, they finally made an order. The girl with glasses spoke first. "I''d like to order Adobo and one rice, please," she said. Her glasses reflected her sharp eyes, giving her a smart, almost genius-like appearance. She usually seemed cold and aloof, but that attitude seemed to disappear in an instant. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "For me, I''ll have the Bicol Express and one rice, please," said the girl with black hair and bangs, her almond-shaped eyes tapering gently at the outer corners, giving her a warm and approachable look. "I''d like to order Kaldereta with one rice, please," added the other girl with black hair. Her features were more delicate, with big round eyes, a tall nose, and a graceful face. Alexander was focusing on his mission which is taking the order, not caring whether his serving a beauty or not. It''s not like he''ll get rich by seeing a beautiful woman. After calculating everything he spoke in reply. "For the Adobo it will be 70 pesos per serve, while Bicol Express and Kalderata is about 50 pesos per served. The rice is only 10 pesos, your order is totaled at 200 pesos." He said as he wrote in the small note. The three nodded and Alexander continued, "Before I go do you need drinks or just Service water?" "I would like to drink a coke in a bottle" The girl in the glasses said. "Me too" The girl with almond shape eyes spoked. "Me three" the last girl added. Alexander nodded while taking notes, "That will be about 260 pesos, excuse me while I get your order" he then went on his way taking the note to the counter which is given to an open square trapdoor, a delicate hand then took the note it was none other than Sophia, she then passed it to his father to prepare the order. Claire seeing how Alexander handles the customer she could not but give a thumbs up in her heart, the three who was left alone, the girl with the almond shape eyes took her phone and the image of Alexander smiling was taken. It''s the perfect image because Alexander was greatly taken at the right angle without him noticing it, seeing the image on the phone the two were shocked. "Yumi what did you do! What if you get caught and implicate us, it will be embarrassing" The girl with the glasses said. "Don''t worry, Faith. He won''t know a thing. It''s not a crime to take a picture," Yumi said with a sly smile. Her eyes were slightly obscured, and she had a distinctly Asian look that made her a classic example of a ''Chinita''. "Can you share me the image" The girl with round eyes said in a low voice. "Sure Althea, I''ll send it to you in messenger" Yumi said in reply. Faith could not help but want to find some words to argue but he found nothing, she could only look at the two of them on how shameless they are. "You two are unbelievable" Faith said with a sigh. After a while, the order was ready, and Alexander brought their meals along with their drinks. The three of them ate enthusiastically, but as more customers arrived, Alexander became quite busy. With Claire''s help, the workload eased a bit. While Alexander was busy, Claire was serving a table in the back near the wall. The table had five guys with tough, gangster-like appearances and hair dyed in various colors. "Sir, could you please place your order? I''m in a hurry," Claire said, clearly annoyed. She was frustrated with the five guys who had kept her waiting for quite some time. The 5 thugs just look at her with a lewd face, the one guy who had a red hair with a tall and muscular build. His hair was style in a Buzzcut and was dressed in a leather jacket the same with the others. "Beautiful lady why don''t you sit and chat with us for a while, we will order after we are satisfied" The thug in red hair said with smile, as his eyes darted towards Claire body. Claire seeing this felt disgusted she put on a strong front and said, "You perverts if you don''t want to eat then leave this place, or I''ll throw you out" Hearing her threats, the five of them couldn''t help but laugh, finding it the biggest joke they had ever heard. They laughed so hard that tears even formed in their eyes. "Lady, that''s enough joking. Sit beside me, and we''ll leave this place alone. If you don''t, we''ll wreck it until it''s nothing but scrap," he said with a laugh at the end. His buddies joined in, adding to the mockery. Claire was furious. She glanced back, ready to ignore the five thugs looking for trouble. But before she could walk away, a strong hand grabbed her wrist. Turning to see the guy with red hair smiling slyly, her anger soared to new heights. "If you don''t let go, I will call the police" Claire threatened. The red hair was amused and said, "Do you think we''ll be afraid of a mere cop? We are from the Black Serpent Gang now tell me do you think we''ll be afraid?" Hearing the gang''s name, Claire recognized them immediately. They were known for using violence and extortion to extract money from innocent civilians, controlling much of Iloilo City''s underworld. She also knew this was just a branch, with their main base located in Manila. Undeterred, Claire tried to pull her wrist free from the guy''s tight grip. His hold was firm, making it difficult for her to break free. "Are you really not going to let go?" She said with her brows furrowed. "No, why what are you going to do about it" the thug said looking at Claire''s face, having fun on making her angry. "So be it then" Claire last voiced trailed off, as her palm came flying off towards the guy in red hair. With a smack the sound reverberated throughout the restaurant, and a red handprint was formed on his face from the impact. The guy in the red hair was stunned, as he touched the place on where he was slap. His buddies were also flabbergasted from the sudden slap, not thinking that this beautiful lady will put on a strong retaliation. Claire seeing him holding his cheeks, smirk in disgust. "Don''t bother me anymore or I''m going to slap till it turns purple." Claire said as she looked back and was about to leave. The guy in red hair who came back to his senses when he heard her insulting words became angry, from getting slapped in the face and also being humiliated from tons of people. He never felt something like this in all his life. "Where do you think you''re going, you bitch?" the guy with red hair sneered, reaching to grab Claire''s hair. Claire glanced back, seeing his hand closing in on her head, and fear began to grip her. Suddenly, before his hand could reach her forehead, her back slammed against a solid wall, and the scent of a strong man filled her nostrils. She noticed that the red-haired thug''s arm was stopped by a smaller arm that held his wrist firmly, halting his advance. A man''s voice resonated behind him, "Hey, you thugs¡ªtrying to hit a woman in broad daylight? Don''t you have any shame?" Alexander''s voice echoed through the restaurant as he glared sharply at the thug. Chapter 9 - 9 One Sided Fight 5 v 1 Seeing a pretty face in front of him and he even dared to use the method of saving the beauty, in front of him ignited his anger even more. "Hey pretty face, if you don''t want me to ruin your appearance you''ve better focus on your own problems, rather than involving yourself to this woman''s problem" The red hair guy said with a menacing tone. Hearing his threatening words Alexander was not afraid, he was also a troublemaker and involved in a lot of fight. So, to end this he just had to beat the sense out of them, but there are at least five of them making him at a disadvantage. "System put my 2 free points in strength" Alexander said inwardly, finally putting it to good use. [Current Status] [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 0 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 12 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 27,000 pesos Balance: 284,006 Pesos Skills: None] Then a cold feeling spread thought out inside him, making it felt like he was splashed by a basin of cold water. Filled with sudden increased in strength, he knew that this is enough to handle this gang. "What if I don''t? what are you going to do about it" Alexander said with a glint, his face serious. Claire who was in front of him held his clothes located in his abs, she was a little regretful for involving Alexander to this problem. The red hair hearing what he said, he made a fist in his left hand and was about to send it off. But Alexander who was holding his right hand locating at his wrist, held it in a strong grip stopping the guy from doing what he was about to do. He groans in pain as he felt that his wrist was about snapped. "Let go you idiot it''s about to break, let go you stupid shit" he said as his face began to turn red. "If you say so" he then loosened his grip and pushed back his hand, making the man stumbled a few steps and fall through the floor in pain. "Big Brother" the four thugs who are in the same group stood up, and hurriedly went to the red hair guy. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Claire and the crowd were taken aback by Alexander''s impressive display of strength. Despite his build not being particularly bulky or muscular, he managed to push back the red-haired thug¡ªwho was three times his size¡ªand make him scream in pain. Alexander then whispered to Claire''s ear saying, "Get behind me I''ll handle it" Hearing a soft voice in her ear her face even her ears, turns red like a TO-MA-TO. She hurriedly followed her instruction and went behind him. Back to the thugs arriving it the red hair guy, they asked. "Boss, are you okay?" The guy in mullet hair asked. The red-haired thug''s anger flared even more. "Do I look freaking okay? If I kicked your ass and asked if you were alright, would you be freaking okay? Hurry up and surround this guy! I''m going to beat his face so badly that his mother won''t even recognize him." The guy who was being reprimanded was embarrassed from asking a stupid question, hearing his commands they hurriedly surrounded Alexander in four corners. While behind him is Claire who was holding the quilt of his cloth. He could feel Claire''s fear as her fingers trembled while holding onto his clothes. "Don''t worry, they''ll only get to you if they can get past me," Alexander said, offering reassurance. His words seemed to have a calming effect on Claire. She wasn''t sure what Alexander had done, but his confidence and presence made her trust him completely. "If you have time to worry about that woman, you should worry about yourself more. You four, beat him up. Whoever inflicts the most damage gets the first chance with that woman behind him," the red-haired thug said with a cruel smile. Hearing this, the four of them felt invigorated as they scanned Claire''s body from top to bottom, wondering what it looked like behind those clothes. Claire hearing the red hair guy''s words, she felt even more disgusted. The four thugs charged at the same time, closing in on Alexander. The guy positioned behind him, where Claire was standing, leered lewdly, as his hands reaching out to touch her. Before he could make it, a hard slap landed on his face. His expression turned comical as his teeth flew out, and he was thrown 6-8 steps away, crashing to the floor. The same fate befell the other three thugs, who were also knocked down and scattered. A strong palm struck their faces, sending them flying and causing them to crash into a chair, which broke upon impact. Some of them even hit the table, and the customers who are the closes was startled, quickly stood up cause one of the bodies landed right on his table. The red hair guy was stunned from what happened it merely took 2 seconds, for him to handle the four of dandies. "The 2 points in strength is actually this strong?" Alexander surprised from his prowess, his like a superman in human form. He then looked at the red hair thug which made him terrified, walking slowly closing the gap between the two of them. "Stop right there! You don''t know who you''re dealing with. My father is the leader of the Black Serpent Gang. I''m James West, and if you lay a hand on me, my father will hunt you down until you''re finished!" he shouted, his voice trembling. "Oh no I''m so scared" he said nonchalantly, not afraid at all with his system why would he be afraid. Hearing his indifferent tone and not putting his gang seriously at all, he was angry on how arrogant this guy in front of him. When the distance is closed, he hurriedly throws a sharp punch that whistled through the air aiming at Alexander face. Alexander blocked his attack gripping it tightly, he slapped the red hair guy''s face. "This is for making trouble, in my first day of work" *Pah the sound of slap came, and one of his teeth flew out. "This is for harassing Claire" *Pah another slap sounded making another teeth flew out. "This is for disturbing the other customer" another slap came again, which made his face turned purple and disfigured from the three slaps. Alexander eyes then turned sharp as he said, "And this is for mentioning my family in front of me" with a kick the in the abdomen. He was struck by a strong force making him fly through the air, some bone breaking sound was even heard. Showing that its ribs were broken or fractured from the impact, he puked a mouthful of blood as landed on the floor. When all is done, Alexander then picks them up one by one and throw them outside the restaurant. The customer and the three girls who were watching, were amazed on how strong Alexander was. Yumi who was holding his phone camera, was happy to be able to record this fight. Even the girl with the glasses Faith had his mouth awed, seeing 1 guy fought 5 people amazed him. "That''s amazing" Faith whispered in a low voice, as she put down her phone that was ringing. Clearly, she called the police, but she did not expect the fight to end this early. Weasley the Chef who heard a lot of commotion from the kitchen, went out to inspect beside him is her daughter Sophia. When the two of them heard what happened they were angry at the thugs, but when they heard that Alexander beat them to a pulp, they were happy. "Attention everyone sorry for the disturbance, you can continue your meal while we deal with this problem" Weasley said as he went to Alexander. "Hey, kid, you okay?" Weasley asked with admiration. "I never thought someone as slim as you could fight like that." Despite Alexander being tall but not overly muscular, Weasley was surprised by the power and skill packed into each of his punches. "Yeah, you''re actually impressive and heroic" Sophia said in a praised, showing her two dimples. Alexander was feeling shy from the praised, when he looked around and saw the damage he had caused wondering if he had to pay it. Seeing his eyelids looking through the mess, Claire was fully back to his senses and spoke. "Don''t worry Alexander, my sister will not make you pay for damages, I will tell her that you saved me which leads to this mess." Claire said. "Also, thank you for standing up to me and getting involved. If you weren''t here, I would have been harassed, by those hooligans." Claire spoked in her heart feeling grateful, she was really scared at that time luckily, she was fine. "Don''t mention it Claire, you''re my boss sister and also my teammate. I would not leave you hanging when you''re in trouble" Alexander full of self-righteous. He really disliked injustice and whenever he saw some people commits this, he always involved himself even though it can lead to injuries or even death. But as long as he had the power to help, why wouldn''t he? Chapter 10 - 10 Invited To a Dinner They went back to work, and Claire took a call from her sister. When her sister heard what happened, she was about to come over, but Claire reassured her that everything was okay. This helped her sister calm down. Once the work was done and the last customer had left, it was 5:00 p.m., and they finally closed up. Weasley then called Alexander from the kitchen. "Here, Alexander, this is 10,000 pesos for your first day. The extra is from your boss, Valentine, for saving Claire from those troublemakers. You''d better accept it, or I won''t be able to explain this to Ms. Valentine if you refuse," Weasley said, handing over the money. Alexander was reluctant to take the money, thinking it was for a trivial matter. But seeing how insistent Weasley was, he reluctantly accepted the extra amount. "Thank you, Uncle Wesley" Alexander spoke gratefully. Seeing Alexander accept the money, Weasley smiled and went to clean the kitchen. When Alexander asked about Sophia, Weasley replied that she had gone home early because she was tutoring someone. Alexander couldn''t help but admire her. Balancing a morning job with evening tutoring was impressive. Alexander then left the kitchen and saw Claire sitting alone at the table. With no customers left, she was the only one there. As soon as she saw Alexander, she hurried over and said shyly. "Alexander, can I invite you to dinner or maybe go out to eat? I really want to repay you for your help." She spoke with a hint of redness in her cheeks, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a more bashful side. She was really grateful towards Alexander and decided to invite her to eat outside to repay him. But when she remembered that she invited a man to eat outside. "Isn''t this a date?" She said, with her cheeks that is red as a tomato. Alexander didn''t see anything wrong with Claire''s offer; it was natural to feel indebted. However, he thought it was a minor issue and was about to decline. "I''m sorry, but it¡ª" He started to say, but then he saw Claire''s face, which looked like she was about to cry. Seeing her distressed expression, Alexander quickly changed his mind. "I''m free, so let''s go," he said, alarmed by her sadness. Claire''s expression brightened instantly upon hearing his reply. "Hehe, let''s go then," she said with a smile, and quickly left the restaurant. Alexander couldn''t help but feel a bit tricked but decided to follow her anyway. They walked through the bustling streets, surrounded by crowds of people. The two stayed close together, walking side by side. Claire couldn''t help but blush, feeling like this outing was more of a date than just a thank-you. When they finally arrived at the large mall and went inside, Claire asked, "So, where do you want to eat?" Her gaze lingered on Alexander. Wanting to wrap things up, Alexander pointed to a place. When Claire saw where he was pointing, her face turned bright red, all the way down to her neck. She simply nodded and followed him to the restaurant. When they arrived at the restaurant, they noticed that every table was occupied by couples. Claire''s face turned bright red, but Alexander paid no attention and went straight to the counter with her. Remembering that this outing was just a gesture of thanks and not a romantic date, Claire managed to calm down. As Alexander placed his order, he said, "I''d like a medium-sized chocolate frappe. What about you, Claire?" He glanced at her as he spoke. Claire was lost in thought and didn''t hear what Alexander said. "Hello, Claire, what do you want to drink?" he asked again. "Ahh, what?" she said, snapping back to reality and looking at Alexander with a questioning gaze. "I said I''ve already ordered my drink. What about you?" Alexander repeated. Claire realized she had been absentminded and quickly responded, "I''d like a strawberry frappe, medium size, and also some fries, please." "Okay, ma''am and sir, that will be 236 pesos," the cashier said. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Claire paid for the order, and they took a seat in the center of the restaurant where it was empty. With Claire''s beauty drawing attention, it was clear that they were both under the spotlight. Feeling the stares from others, Claire shrank her head towards the table, worried that people might misunderstand her relationship with Alexander. Meanwhile, Alexander, oblivious to the situation, simply waited at his seat for their order. The place they were at was called "Sweet Sips & Bites," a caf¨¦ typically favored by couples or married women. Alexander had no idea about this, even after noticing the romantic d¨¦cor and heart-shaped designs on some of the cupcakes. He was focused on just getting this over with so he could head home. When their order finally arrived, Alexander took a sip of his drink and noticed that Claire looked unwell, almost as if she had a fever. "Are you okay, Claire? If you''re not feeling well, we can leave," Alexander said, concerned by her pale appearance. Claire, touched by Alexander''s concern, smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I''m fine. Let''s just finish this first." She waved towards their drinks. "So, Alexander, which school are you planning to attend?" she asked. "I''m planning to enroll in Sagebrook College for a Bachelor of Secondary Education. I''ve always wanted to be a teacher because I find it really fun to teach students." Alexander replied. Claire nodded in response and then asked, "What about you? Which school are you going to, and what course will you be taking?" "Actually, I want to pursue a BSBA course because someday I''d like to help ease the burden on my sister with managing the business," Claire said, taking a sip of her drink. Alexander nodded, considering that managing a restaurant must be challenging. They continued chatting about various topics until it was 7 p.m.; they had been talking for about an hour. When they left the caf¨¦, they found themselves outside the mall, and it was already quite dark. "Do you want me to accompany you home? It''s dangerous to be out alone at this hour," Alexander offered, looking at Claire with concern. Claire smiled at his care and shook her head. "Don''t worry, Alexander. I''ve already called my father to pick me up. You can go now if you want." "I see. I''ll just wait until you leave to make sure you''re safe," Alexander said, standing up. Claire couldn''t help but appreciate how protective he was. After a while, Claire''s phone rang¡ªit was her father. She said her goodbyes to Alexander and then left. Alexander watched as her figure grew smaller in the distance before he also departed. He took a ride to a nearby bus stop and left the mall. Meanwhile, at another corner of the mall, Claire got into a parked car. A driver was at the wheel, and a middle-aged man with a distinguished presence was seated inside. Claire greeted her father warmly as she got in. Claire''s father nodded and, with his gaze focused on the road, asked, "Who''s that boy?" Claire was taken aback by the sudden question but responded, "That''s Alexander, a new employee at my sister''s restaurant. I invited him to dinner as a thank you for saving me. Please don''t cause him any trouble, Dad." Her father''s brows furrowed when he heard about the dinner invitation, but his expression became serious when he heard that Alexander had saved Claire. "Who dares to attack our family in broad daylight? Don''t they fear the consequences?" he said, his demeanor shifting to a fierce and intimidating presence. Sensing her father''s anger, Claire quickly tried to calm him down. "Dad, don''t be angry. I''m fine, aren''t I? I''m just worried that Alexander might get hurt because he was involved in this trouble because of me." Her father''s expression softened slightly, but he still looked at Claire with concern. "Who was responsible for this harassment?" he asked. "It was the Black Serpent Gang, Dad," Claire replied. Upon hearing the name, his brows furrowed, and he fell silent, his eyes filled with determination. "Don''t worry, I''ll protect this kid. As for the Black Serpent Gang, I''ll come up with a solution," he said resolutely. With that, the engine roared to life, and they drove away from the mall. Chapter 11 - 11 Buying a Technique After taking the bus back to his apartment, it took Alexander about 15 to 20 minutes to travel back to his apartment. Once he was in, he took a quick shower and stood up only wearing a towel. "System, show me the money I earned today," he said to himself. A high-tech voice responded. [Sure Host] [After calculating for about 17 hours, 36 minutes, and 12 seconds, the host has accumulated about 35,205 pesos.] [Do you want to claim it and add it to your balance?] Alexander nodded, and the money he had earned was instantly transferred into his bank account. [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 0 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 12 Speed: 9 Defense: 9 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 319,211 Pesos Skills: None] As Alexander looked at his balance, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated at how slowly it was growing. He tapped the shop button on the interface, knowing that the thugs he''d angered wouldn''t just let him off easily. His experience told him that grudges like that weren''t easily forgotten. The shop opened, revealing a list of options. There seemed to be an entire tier above the regular system shop. He was still stuck at level 1, which made sense, since he hadn''t purchased anything yet. [Shop] {Skills} {Techniques} {Potions} {Weapons & Armors} Seeing the four options, Alexander decided to go with "Skills" because the name sounded cool to him. As he clicked on the button, a list of various skills appeared on the screen. [Skills {Basic Swordsmanship: Increases proficiency with a sword, slightly enhancing accuracy and attack speed. Ideal for beginners looking to improve their combat effectiveness. Price: 10,000,000 Pesos } {Swift Step: A footwork skill that provides a small boost to movement speed, allowing the user to dodge or retreat quickly in battle. Price: 5,000,000 Pesos } {Focus Strike: Heightens concentration, enabling the user to deliver a slightly stronger and more precise attack on their opponent. Price: 5,000,000 Pesos } {Iron Skin: Temporarily hardens the skin, offering minor protection against physical attacks. Effective for short-term defense in combat. Price: 5,000,000 Pesos }] When Alexander saw the prices, he realized they were much higher than he had imagined. He had expected them to be around 100 to 500 thousand, but they were far more expensive. Frowning, he couldn''t help but feel how poor he really was, letting out a sigh of disappointment. He switched the options to "Techniques," though he didn''t hold much hope, assuming the prices wouldn''t be any more affordable. [Techniques {Thunder Clap: A technique that involves clapping the hands together to generate a shockwave, disorienting and pushing back nearby enemies. Useful for crowd control. Price: 10,000,000 Pesos } {Flowing River Strike: A fluid, continuous striking technique that combines multiple sword slash into a seamless attack, overwhelming opponents with a series of rapid strikes. Price: 15,000,000 Pesos } {Shadow Strike: A technique that hides the user presence, allowing the user to strike with quick, unpredictable attacks. Great for catching opponents off guard, recommended for assassins. Price: 10,000,000 Pesos } After scrolling endlessly, Alexander felt hopeless seeing the high prices. But finally, he came across something affordable that he could actually buy. {Serpent''s Coil: A grappling technique that allows the user to ensnare and immobilize an opponent with fluid, serpentine movements. Effective for close-quarters combat. Price: 400,000 Pesos } Seeing the affordable price and realizing he was 800 pesos short of his current balance, Alexander tapped around the app for a while and claimed the amount he needed. With a 20% discount from the novice gift pack, the price changed to 320,000 pesos. He couldn''t help but think about how useful this coupon was. After buying the skill, he gained some knowledge related to it. The concept of Serpent Coiling started to appear in his mind. He saw himself standing in a dimly lit room, surrounded by multiple opponents. With a sudden, fluid motion, he extended his arms, weaving through the air like a serpent. His hands moved in a serpentine pattern, wrapping around an opponent''s torso with swift, precise grips. Each twist and turn of his body was calculated to entangle and immobilize, pulling the opponent into a controlled hold. As he opened his eyes a profound look emerged in his gazed, not just his technique improved but also he felt his self become a little light. Standing up he did a stretching, and he felt that his arms were flexible and even his body was flexible and nimble as a serpent. "System, can you show me my current Status" Alexander said as he want to see the changes in his self. [Status Experience: 170/200 Name: Alexander Free Points: 0 Title: None Level: 2 Strength: 16 Speed: 14 Defense: 10 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Balance: 0 Pesos Skills: None Techniques: {Serpent Coil}] Seeing the huge boost in his stats, he was stunned and amazed. With just one technique, he could actually nourish himself and boost his strength and speed. Clenching his fist, he was eager to test out his new power. Suddenly, he heard a growl and looked down to find his stomach growling with hunger. He had forgotten that he hadn''t eaten anything, but just had a few drinks earlier. So, he put on a black t-shirt and some short and went out, feeling a new, unusual sensation as he wore it. He noticed his chest was noticeably fuller, giving him a broad and powerful look that filled out his shirt, but it wasn''t as bulky as a bodybuilder''s. His waist, on the other hand, was much slimmer, tapering sharply to create a sleek and defined silhouette. It was like he trained his body for years to attained this physique, with his charm and added by his tall silhouette and with his great physique. He became a model but with an aura of a man at that. He then left the place and used the Tap Money app to make some money, earning 3,000 pesos. After stopping, he arrived at the nearest convenience store, where he looked around for a bit, he bought some food and ate at a table inside. In the street, a man with red hair and a bandaged face, using a crutch, walked by with a group of thugs carrying bats behind him. Next to him was another guy, about the same age but a little smaller, and they seemed to have a good relationship. "James, are you sure you don''t want to take the car? We can just meet over there if you prefer," said the blonde-haired guy, who carried the air of a young master. Besides him two people in black clothes followed him. "Of course, I''m fine, Gavin. If I catch that guy, I''m going to torture him and teach that little punk a lesson," James replied, his voice tinged with fury. Gavin, seeing the anger on James''s face, felt sympathy for the young man who had been beaten by the cruel guy. He was just a waiter with no connections and seemed to have gotten himself into a lot of trouble. James then calmed down and looked at Gavin. "Oh, by the way, why did you suddenly come here? Are you here for some business?" he asked as they continued walking. Hearing this, Gavin replied, "Yes, my father sent me here on business. A wealthy foreign investor will be attending a stone gambling event on Saturday. He wants me to close a deal that could significantly earn us a big sum of money" James''s interest was piqued at the mention of stone gambling. They finally arrived at the convenience store. "Hey, go buy some drink with this money," James said, handing a stack of cash to one of the thugs. The thug nodded and went off to get the drinks. Meanwhile, the group of about 18 people settled at a table outside. The place was large but packed with people. James had brought his crew to drink and calm his anger while waiting for information on the person who had beaten him up. Before they could enjoy the moment, the thug who went inside was running and it seems he was in panic and full of fear. All of them stood up while James and Gavin look at him with a bewildered expression. "What is it Rey, spell it why does it look like you''ve seen a demon" James said impatiently. Rey the thug who was still catching up his breathe pointed at the convenience store and said a little flustered, "Boss, the guy who beat us up his inside the convenience store" he said. James was stunned by what he heard. Then a twisted smile spread across his face as he laughed with anger. "This is fate," he said. "Let''s go inside. I''m going to make him pay ten times for what he did to me." He stood up, using his crutch to walk, with his friend Gavin and the thugs following him. Rey, the thug who led the group, guided them through the store. Chapter 12 - 12 [No Title] Alexander who was eating a rice with a hotdog, with his favorite drink mountain dew accompanying him. Did not knew that James with his new friends were actually coming to disturb him. He just only noticed this when he heard a shout and it seems to be indicated to him, "Boss his over there" Shouted by Rey. James then sweep at the place and saw Alexander figure who was holding a paper plate looking at him, he grinned and closed the gap between the two of them. James grinned widely and shouted, "You think you can escape me, huh? This time, I''m going to beat you into a vegetative state!" Alexander remained calm as he glanced over at James and then at the yellow-haired thug standing beside him. The thug looked vaguely familiar, and it hit Alexander that he was one of the guys he had beaten up earlier that morning. "How do you want to settle this?" Alexander asked with a casual smile, taking a bite of his rice and hotdog. James and his friends, including Gavin, thought that they this must think they are joking. This only fueled James''s anger. He stormed over to Alexander, flipped the table with force, and turned it upside down. Despite his injuries, the table wasn''t heavy, so James managed to upend it easily. Disturbed during his lunch, Alexander narrowed his eyes and looked at James with a cold glare. "Oh, that''s so scary. What are you going to do, hit me? Let me remind you, you''re surrounded by not just four, but over twenty of my men. You''d better sit tight while I slap you around," he said with an arrogant sneer. Despite the threat, Alexander remained unshaken. He arched a smile and replied, "Do you realize what you''ve just done?" He stayed seated at the table, continuing to watch James with a calm demeanor. "Oh, tell me," James said, leaning his ear closer to Alexander''s face without a hint of fear. With his friends behind him, why would he be afraid? Alexander, showing no emotion, continued calmly, "First, you ruined my dinner, which is a serious offense. Second, you''re planning to take revenge on me. Do you really think I''ll let you get away with that? And third¡­" He paused, his eyes piercing through James. When Alexander fell silent, James pulled back his ear, leaned his head in closer, and said arrogantly, "What''s the third?" "The third," Alexander said with a fierce look, "is that you''ve got some nerve getting this close to me." Before James could react, Alexander slapped him hard across the face, sending him spinning through the air. As James crashed into the display rack holding chips and other snacks, everyone including the thugs and Gavin was stunned. Everything happened so quickly that none of them had time to react. When they saw their leader, James, lying in the shattered rack, his bandages torn and teeth knocked out and his in a pitiful state, they were furious. Gripping their bats, they rushed toward Alexander in a rage. "Avenge the young boss!" one of them shouted. "Beat him!" another roared. Alexander, already prepared, quickly took a stance. Despite their bats, he remained calm and composed. As the first thug swung at him, Alexander''s arms moved like a serpent, swiftly catching the bat in mid-swing. With a smooth and fluid motion, he gripped it tightly in his hands. He delivered a punch with his free hand, careful not to use his full strength for fear of killing someone. His fist connected with the thug''s arm, producing a loud crack. The thug screamed in pain, but Alexander quickly silenced him with a kick to the side. Without wasting any time, Alexander charged at the others who were closing in. Moving like a serpent, he dodged another swing and struck a man in the chest with his arm, causing him to cough up blood. Behind him, another thug swung at him, but with fluid motion, Alexander kicked the man in the jaw, sending him flying into the air. His body was so flexible and quick that he could effortlessly dodge attacks and counter them with ease. Undeterred, he rushed at them one by one, and the sound of breaking bones echoed through the air. Wherever he moved, thugs were left lying on the ground with broken arms. Everything happened so quickly that soon they were all sprawled out, groaning in pain. Seeing this, James was stunned as fear crept over him. The man in front of him was the best fighter he had ever seen. Fighting barehanded while being surrounded and still coming out on top of it wasn''t just luck, it was pure skill. Despite the chaos, Alexander seemed unfazed. The store was in ruins the display rack was shattered, and the windows were broken from the thugs Alexander had kicked away. Yet, he remained calm amidst the destruction. Alexander felt that it wasn''t enough. He hadn''t used all of his power; if he had, it wouldn''t be just broken bones but complete disability. He could sever tendons and leave them permanently disabled if he wanted to that is. However, he chose not to go that far. He wasn''t truly cruel beating them up and teaching them a lesson was sufficient. "This technique is really powerful in close combat," Alexander said with admiration. "Now, don''t think I''ve forgotten about you," he added, turning his gaze to James, who was still in the floor with the broken rack filled with fear. James, hearing Alexander''s voice, started to panic. "Don''t come near me, you filthy scum!" he shouted. Hearing the word poor and scum his anger intensifies the word ''poor'' and ''scum'' greatly engraved in his mind, a lot of people called him this word which made him angry hearing this again. He closed the gap between them, ready to take action, when a voice from behind called out and a hand touched his shoulder. Although he could have dodged, he chose to let his opponent approach. "Who are you? Are you with this guy?" Alexander asked, without turning around. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, I''m with him. You''d better step back before my bodyguards take action. Before, you were dealing with mindless thugs with no skills. But this time, it''s different. Two of my bodyguards are retired soldiers they are merciless and with a lot of battle experience. If you don''t back off, we might cripple you right here," Gavin said, brimming with threats. Chapter 13 - 13 Getting Arrested He was really surprised by the fighting capability of this guy in front of him, to be able to defeat a thug with weapons and coming out unscathed and it even took him around 3 mins to accomplished that. Gavin realized that this kid must be a martial artist. However, he didn''t panic. He was confident that his two bodyguards, both retired soldiers with extensive battle experience, would handle the situation. Dealing with a student didn''t seem too challenging for them. "So, what''s it going to be" Gavin said with a confident smile. With his back to them, Alexander glanced at James on the floor and said, "I''ll deal with you later." His body moved swiftly, slithering away from the grasp of the man in the black suit. The bodyguard was stunned, unable to process how Alexander had escaped. Before he could react, a hand shot out, gripping his throat. A powerful force then slammed him to the ground with a loud bang, pinning him firmly to the floor. He puked up blood from the impact and his back and head felt like it was broken he stopped moving and pass out, seeing him knock down he look at the remaining one. "Are you not going to avenge your companion?" Alexander muttered under his breath, glancing at the other man in the black suit, whose mouth was agape in shock. The other man knew what his friend was capable of but was astonished that he couldn''t handle this kid''s fists. However, he remained calm, thinking that Alexander must have caught him off guard, causing him to pass out. "You''re arrogant; I''ll give you that. You only won because you caught him off guard. Let''s see if you can handle my fist," the man in the black suit with shades said. He charged forward, closing the distance, and threw a punch. Alexander, barely moving sideways to dodge it, looked at him with disdain. As the man tried to retract his fist, it seemed to be caught by Alexander. He saw Alexander''s hands snake up to his elbow. With a twist, there was a bone-cracking sound once again. The man''s face turned red as he groaned in pain. Alexander then slapped him, sending him staggering sideways and falling, clutching his broken arm. Seeing this, Gavin was filled with fear. If even his bodyguard was no match, how could he possibly win? Alexander simply looked at Gavin with disdain before turning his attention back to James. Seeing Alexander defeat two retired soldiers, James realized that this person couldn''t be dealt with using ordinary methods. He needed to inform his father, knowing that his father would have a strategy for handling someone like Alexander. As Alexander squatted down in front of James, his voice was icy. "If you trouble me again, I will really cripple you." Suddenly, sirens wailed outside, followed by the sound of footsteps. Police officers in uniforms arrived with guns drawn pointing at Alexander. Seeing the police, Alexander returned to his calm demeanor and said in a respectful tone, "Officers, these people tried to beat me up, so I fought back in self-defense. Please provide justice for me." The officers were stunned and at a loss for words. "This is not self defense but a beating" The police said inwardly. What Alexander described as self-defense seemed more like a one-sided beating. The woman in front, with a businesslike air, short black hair, and long, elegant legs, walked gracefully towards Alexander. Alexander was initially relieved that a female officer was there to help him get justice, but his mood quickly shifted when he felt handcuffs snap onto his wrists. He looked at the female officer, his face showing his surprise but changed into a frown. "I think you''ve got the wrong guy, officer. It''s them," Alexander said, pointing at James and Gavin. But the female officer simply looked at him coldly and replied with a snort, "Be quiet. This isn''t self-defense this is direct assault. You are under arrest for assault and disturbing the peace. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." Hearing this, Alexander''s favorable impression of the officer vanished. He frowned, clearly upset, but did not resist as he was led to the police car. Meanwhile, the injured thugs were taken to the hospital. Gavin was also sent to the police station while he was placed in the interrogation room. Alexander was seated as the beautiful officer looked at him coldly. "Why did you use assault and violence in this situation?'' she asked, her tone stern and unwavering. "We need to understand your actions to proceed with the investigation." she finished. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Officer, I said that its self-defense if they did not used force in the first place, I will also not used force" Alexander said with eyes narrowed. The policewoman brows furrowed as she slaps the table, "Do you think what you did is self-defense I''m going to apprehend you for 10 days and see if you have the gal to do it again" Hearing this Alexander frowned and the displeasure on his face became livid, "Officer, don''t you think this is a bit unfair, they want beat me up and now I''m getting apprehended. What happens if I don''t know any self-defense, isn''t my life is going to be more miserable than them" The policewoman hearing what he said think that what he said was right, if this kid does not know self-defense his state will be much more miserable. She touched his brows in contemplation, she was only angry right now thinking that this person is the kind who always likes to cause trouble. But when he saw Alexander who was cooperative, she could not help but pity him, "Sorry about that, but the problem is you''ve mess with 2 big families at the same time. The first is the son of the leader of Black Serpent Gang while the other is the young master from the Murphy family." "Even if I tried to not apprehend you do you think they will not take action?" The policewoman answered. Hearing her words Alexander could not help but ponder, his opinion towards the police officer changed as she cared about his wellbeing. Seeing Alexander in a stalemate she could not help but sigh. In a big mansion in the living room Valentine is still wearing his office suit when suddenly she received a call. She took the phone, and her lazy and tired face turned serious all of a sudden. "I got it" Valentine replied. "Who is it sis?" Seeing her serious expression Claire who was in the sofa decided to ask. "Alexander was arrested" she said coldly as she put the phone down. Hearing this Claire was stunned and panic, "Why, what did Alexander do?" she asked worriedly. "The caller said that he beat up the Black Serpent Gang and even the young master of some rich family was also involved" Valentine said with narrowed eyes. Claire who heard this could not help but blamed herself she hurriedly stood up and begged her sister, "Sister please help Alexander he was only implicated because of me please don''t let anything happen to him" "Don''t worry our family never turned our back to those who had helped us, I''ll try calling a friend if he can help" As she took out her phone. On the other side a man picks up the phone and spoke, "Yes what is it, Young Lady?" "Uncle, can you help me a friend of mine was arrested, and it seems he was going to be detained" Valentine said on the phone. "Let me see what I can do, what is his name?" The voice on the other side replied. "His name is Alexander Ashbourne he''s a kid working at my restaurant" Valentine said patiently. "Let me see what I can do" Then the call was cut off, Valentine then left and took a car, it is a Porsche 918 Spyder a limited-edition car. As she was driving her phone begun to ring again, "Young Lady I can''t handle this problem, it concerns 2 big families. I think you should relay this to your father, I''m sorry I can''t help you with this case. But I''ll be by your side when you arrived at the police station" The other side of the phone said. Valentine nodded her head and already expecting this kind of result, his uncle William is only an Assistant Chief and dealing with two rich families is not an easy one. "Thank you Uncle William I''m almost at the Police station, I''ll call father first" Valentine said in reply. As she gazed at the road in distressed, clearly this problem is going to be hard to deal with. So, she took a call and relay this problem to his father. On the other end, his father nodded, signaling that he would use his connections to try and help Alexande Chapter 14 - 14 Whats His Background? Alexander sat calmly in the interrogation room, his hands cuffed, but there was no panic. If he wanted to, he could easily break free using brute force. Yet, he didn''t. He wasn''t even sure if he could dodge bullets, let alone escape the station. Meanwhile, in the main hall of the police station, a blond man spoke to a middle-aged officer in uniform, grinning. "Officer Josh, make sure that Alexander guy suffers for beating up James and humiliating me. If possible, lock him up for a few years," Gavin said with a smirk. Gavin''s attitude were the same as James, he was deeply humiliated by someone with no background. He thought beating them up would intimidate him, but now he planned to teach Alexander that strength is meaningless without connections. Josh, the middle-aged officer, gave a sly grin. "Don''t worry, Young Master Gavin. I''ll make sure this boy suffers for crossing you. I''ll show him just how small he really is for daring to offend the both of you," he said, flashing a wide smile. Seeing a police lieutenant curry favor with him made Gavin smile proudly. This was the power of money and status. Suddenly, the sound of high heels echoed through the main hall. As they turned to look, a stunning woman entered, a beauty with long, sexy legs and a mature, well-defined face that could charm any man. Her ruby-red hair gleamed as she walked gracefully. Beside her stood a middle-aged man in a crisp police uniform, sharp with gold stripes on the shoulders indicating his senior rank. He exuded authority and experience, his demeanor calm but commanding. When Lieutenant Josh saw the middle-aged man enter, he frowned, immediately recognizing him. The two newcomers approached Josh and the blond-haired Gavin. "Is there a young man named Alexander being detained here, Lieutenant Josh?" the middle-aged man asked, his voice filled with authority. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Josh respectfully clasped his hands together and replied, "Yes, Assistant Chief William. He''s in the interrogation room for the crime he committed. This is Young Master Gavin from the Murphy Family in Manila. He reported that the kid not only beat up some gang members, but also severely injured his two bodyguards." Josh spoke with confidence, barely acknowledging William''s authority. In his mind, with the backing of Young Master Gavin from the Murphy family and the Black Serpent Gang, a promotion was already within his reach, as long as nothing went wrong of course. He knew he couldn''t compete with William Leywin, a man he despised. Not only did William hold a high position, but many people loved him for his upright personality. But with the support of the Murphy family and the Black Serpent Gang, Josh felt no fear in confronting William. Meanwhile, Gavin''s eyes remained fixated on Valentine, filled with lust as he wondered what it would be like to have such a high-class woman under his control. "Hello I am Gavin Murphy, nice to meet you beautiful lady. Can you give me the honor to know your name" his smile is pure but his eyes of lust lied from his actions. Valentine who saw this felt disgusted, she really want to slap this guy away but did not do so, "Put your hand back you make me sick, I don''t shake hands to young guy who only know how to rely on their families and bully the weak." she said coldly with disgust on her face. Gavin hearing her sarcastic remarks had some black lines on his face, "Why don''t we find out if I''m a young guy lady, do you want me to show you in action" he said with laugh. Hearing this Valentine was even more disgusted from his perverted attitude, she just ignored him like he was some kind of pests. Seeing that he was ignored Gavin was so angry. "Seargent Josh, I heard that Alexander was ganged up by some gangs when he was in the convenience store. Leading for him to use self-defense in the process tell me why he should be detained?" William said with his face serious. "Assistant chief, this problem only occurs because he greatly assaulted the other party, this is not self-defense anymore. So, he must be detained, to be good for all of the people he must be arrested so problem like this will not happen again" Josh said with a smile not respecting the person in front of him. Valentine chest heaved up and down and was about to talk back, but was stopped by William, he looked at Josh in front of him and his eyes turned sharped, "William in case you forgot, talking to your superiors in that manner is a sign of not being respectful to their seniors. Also, I heard that he only used self-defense since the other party attacked first in that situation, tell me what we are going to handle this situation?" he said with ice block cold eyes. Josh was in a lot of pressured and does not know how to reply suddenly a shout caught their attention, "If you''re asking how to handle this situation then this kid should be locked up for 10 years to let him know a valuable lessons." As they looked at the person it was a man with a sharp, tailored suit with dark in color, with crisp lines, a clean, white dress shirt underneath the suit and a subtle but elegant tie, a sleek wristwatch, and well-polished leather shoes. His appearance made William frowned and troubled, "So tell me assistant chief shouldn''t my suggestion good?" The guy smiled as he looked William eye to eye. "I did not know that the Black Serpent Gang, is fast in taking actions. They actually contacted you a top defense attorney Mr. Victor Donovan" William said with a broken a smile. He knew that with this person here the trouble had become more troublesome. Then the beautiful policeman came to them and saw that this must be the two parties, the other is from the gang and he even saw his superiors protecting that kid. But when she saw the beautiful woman besides his superior, she suddenly understands that this lady was the boss of the restaurant according to the information she read. She greeted his two superiors and Gavin who was besides Josh saw another high-quality woman, he could not help but drool. He did not see her figure during at that time, because the fear of getting beaten up clouded his mind. The policewoman seeing this even him, was feeling disgusted. The attorney seeing her asked directly. "Have you done with the interrogation? So did he admit his mistakes?" The attorney said. Hearing his words and seeing what he was wearing she knew that this guy must be a lawyer, "Yes, but he said that it was in self-defense and the 2nd party attacked him first." The policewoman answered defending Alexander. The lawyer raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Of course, he is. Self-defense is always the easy out. We''ll see how that holds up in court." Hearing this all of them were now in a hard position, Josh and Gavin was smiling from ear to ear knowing that they''ve won this round. Suddenly when the silence was prolonged enough, a sound of call reverberated throughout the place. It was from the assistant chief William, picking it up he remembered that this number is from the Chief of Police the highest-ranking officer in the police department, responsible for overall management. He was confused why is his superiors was calling at this moment. Picking he said respectfully, "Good evening Chief is there any problem you want to share" "Did you detain some kid named Alexander?" The voice of the other side inquired, directly. Hearing this William was stunned wondering how their chief knows about something trivial as this, "Yes we have caught a kid named Alexander he is currently being interrogated" He replied respectfully. The other side did not speak for a while until he commanded, "Let him out no matter what". Chapter 15 - 15 Whats his Background 2? William was shocked when he heard the order. Letting him out? Isn''t that a bit too much? But since he also wanted to help the young lady, he agreed. With the support of his superiors, he now felt confident. "Roger that, Chief," he said, putting the phone down without hanging up. He looked at Josh and Donovan, a smirk creeping onto his face. Seeing his grin, a sense of dread washed over them, they knew that something good must have happened from that call. "Chief Johnson just called and said that Alexander is innocent and should not be detained. Are you doubting his word too?" he finished with a smirk. Josh and even Donovan the lawyer, frowned in disbelief. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They couldn''t believe the Chief of Police had personally gotten involved. Meanwhile, Valentine who was standing nearby, let out a sigh of relief and silently thanked her father. She clearly remembered that she called her father, thinking that his father must have taken action. Donovan''s expression darkened he knew they were at a disadvantage, but he refused to back down. "Even if the Chief of Police says so, the evidence is here. That troublemaker needs to be locked up," he said, trying to sound confident. Seeing Donovan''s unyielding stance, William calmly put the phone to his ear and relayed the situation to the person on the other end. Donovan, however, remained unfazed for he believed that the law was on his side. Hearing this Johnson just replied nonchalantly, "Oh can you give the phone towards that Donovan" he stated. Taking the phone off his ear, he then passed the phone to Donovan, "Here Chief Johnson wants to talk to you". Donovan took the phone and put it in his ear and said his statement, "Chief this problem is hard for you to handle, the evidence is clear and if you want to help Alexander out. You need to hire a lawyer to represent him" He said with a smile, knowing that he can won this. The voice on the other end of the phone was emotionless but firm. "Don''t get yourself involved in this case if you want to continue your career as a lawyer. The person behind him can bend the law just to get him out." Donovan''s brow furrowed upon hearing this. The situation was trickier than he had anticipated. "Who''s behind him?" he asked, a sense of unease creeping in. Johnson replied, "The Prime Minister". Hearing this Donovan faced fell and some sweat began to pour on his face, the prime minister involved his self just to let this kid out, "What is his background?" He though inwardly. After hearing the answer he give the call back to William and looked at the two besides him, his confidence was no more and a hint of fear was visible on his face, "I''m sorry, this case is beyond my power" he said as he leaves the police station. Seeing this situation Josh and Gavin was stunned even the beautiful policewoman was dumbfounded, the guy was clearly in high spirit but now he surrendered without any second thoughts. "Just who is that kid?" she said inwardly. "So now that the trouble is done, I''ll escort Alexander out of the interrogation room" William said, with smile of triumph as he looked at the two. The two faces fell even Gavin was unwilling, but he could not put up a fight, he knew that the kid could get out now. Even a famous attorney give up. No matter how unwilling he was he can only accept defeat as he leaved the police station. The call then was ended and William with beautiful policewoman besides him, went to the interrogation room and saw Alexander sitting with his hand cuffed, "I''m verry sorry for not investigating the situation clearly, you''re free now and you are innocent in this situation" "Carla go ahead and released him" William said, Carla then took action as she took the key and released Alexander from the handcuffed. Alexander look at the police woman and William with gratitude, "Thank you for proving me innocence officer" Hearing this William was filled with smiles as he waved his palm, "No, no don''t need to thank me, follow me out Ms. Valentine is outside waiting for you" as he stood up leaving the interrogation room. Alexander then saw outside it was none other than Valentine in an office suit, when she saw him he smiled and run over to him, "Alex are you hurt anywhere?" she said worriedly. Feeling her care to him Alexander smiled, "Don''t worry Ms. Valentine I''m fine I was not mistreated during my interrogation." Hearing this Valentine sighed in relief as he took Alexander palm, "I''ll take you back home it''s so late at night now, there''s no more ride at this hour. Uncle William I''ll go and take Alexander back thank you for your help, Uncle" she said gratefully. William smiled but shook his head, he knew that he did not provide any help even if he wasn''t here Alexander could still leave. Since he has the backing of the Chief of Police, if he heard that even the Prime Minister was involved during the call he would be shocked. After getting out of the police station they were at the parking area and he saw that Valentine went inside on an expensive sports car, "Is this your car Ms. Valentine?" Alexander said in awe. Seeing his expression Valentine was amused at his expression, "Yes it''s mine hurry and get inside" As he heard her reply Alexander was skeptical isn''t she was just an owner of a restaurant how could she buy an expensive car. But since he was an outsider he had no say to this matter and just keep his mouth shut. Finally he arrived back, just outside of his apartment as he got out to his car Valentine bade his farewell before leaving. The throtle of the car sounded as the figure of the car dissapeared. Alexander then went back into his room and before he can slumped down to his bed he recieved a message, opening he saw that it was Claire. [Claire: Alexander are you okay did the Black Serpent Gang hurt you] [Alexander: Don''t worry I was never hurt, quite the opposite it was them who hurt themeselves] Reading the text Claire laugh and replied, [Claire: I''m sorry for bringing trouble to you I''ll try to repay you again next time.] [Alexander: No need its just a trivial matter] [Claire: No let me treat you, you cant say no to this] Alexander could only agree so they have conversation for a while until it was done, when he was about to put his phone on the table. His phone started ringing and it''s an unknown number, picking up the call he heard the voice of the person that he could never forget. "I heard you were detained for getting into a brawl with some gangsters. Can you stop causing trouble that might hurt you?" the man on the other end of the line said. Alexander''s expression turned icy as he responded coldly, "Isn''t it a bit late for you to start caring about the son you abandoned to fend for himself? Don''t call me again. I have no family anymore no mother, nor a father. I don''t want to see your face ever again." He hung up, his emotions in turmoil, but after a while, he managed to calm down. The anger that is within him for years cannot be forgotten, since he was thrown aside, he will never be part of that family ever again. The other side of the phone who looked exactly Alexander, but he had a noble aura and the only difference is he had brown hair and a bit of maturity. He slowly put his phone down when the call was ended, he sighed as he gazed at the night sky. "Am I really wrong for accepting father''s words? I''ll just let his anger subside for a while and wait for him to return since his 18 now, his training is finally ended" The man said as he closed his eyes. Chapter 16 - 16 Unique Skill The next day, Alexander woke up early and decided to go for a jog. He felt like his body was changing, turning him into a different person. He had never been the type who enjoyed training or exercising, but now, he felt an intense urge to do it. Wearing only moisture-wicking shorts, running shoes, and a black sweatshirt, he stepped outside. The sun hadn''t risen yet, but its soft glow gently lit up the surroundings. As he was jogging his mind kept wondering about last night, and the memory deep inside his heart flash back again. Remembering his crying and pleading to not thrown him out, but still he was tossed aside like a stranger. He gritted his teeth, his eyes tinged with a hint of red as he recalled the pathetic moments of begging and pleading with them. He couldn''t help but think about how weak and fragile he had been. But this time, no matter the cost, he vowed never to go back. "Since you''ve thrown me out this time, I will never return. I''ve survived for 12 years with those difficult time without their help. With the help of my system, I''ll make sure to become a Man that is greater than myself years ago" Alexander said with a determined face. [The Host has experienced an intense emotional breakthrough, solidifying a new resolve. In recognition of this transformation, the unique skill "Heart of Stone" has been granted.] The system voice sounded on his ear, "Heart of stone? what is that and it''s a unique skill" Alexander though with his brows narrowed. [Heart of Stone {First Tier}]: System: Due to the Host''s anger and sorrow caused by his childhood memories, and with his new resolve and goal, the unique skill "Heart of Stone" has been granted to accompany you on this journey. Description: The Host''s ability to feel emotions will be significantly reduced, allowing for clear, rational thinking in any situation. While this grants unmatched mental fortitude, it also makes forming deep emotional connections more difficult.] Reading the description, he stopped in his tracks and was shocked, but his expression showed a serious one different from his emotion. He really felt that his anger towards his family seemed to become a normal one for him. "Am I really going to become a Machine with this Unique skill? But It''s still useful with this even if they are in front of me, I will never feel a thing." He said as he continued to jog. He exercised for a while until he arrived at a park. Since it was only 5:00 in the morning, there were just a few people around, clearly all of them were there to exercise. He then stopped at an empty patch of grass. He started stretching, even doing a split, feeling the stretch in his waist as he reached for his toes." Just across him an old man in white hair, was standing and looking at the two figures. There was a woman with a brown hair, with a good body figure which is also pretty. She had those big peaks, tall bridge nose and sharp eyes, her hair reached over waist but sadly it was tied into a ponytail. She throws her fist in the air creating whistling sound, while changing it into a palm strike. Her move is fluid and precise the old man seeing this could not help but smile. Besides her is a man the same aged as the girl he had brown hair the same as him, with a tall figure and an aura of a refined soldier. He also practiced some kind of technique where sometimes he throws some kicks, which felt like it can cut through rocks and steel. With the power every time he sweeps. The old man seeing this could not help but touched his beard in satisfaction. "Lexera, Jeff, that''s enough for today. I can''t help but feel proud of both of you," the old man said, his voice full of praise, but looking at his grandson made him even more prouder. "You, my granddaughter, in about 5 to 8 years, will finally master our family''s secret technique. Your older brother, on the other hand, mastered it in just a year, maybe even less. Both of you have incredible talent." Hearing this, the two smiled happily at their grandfather''s words, feeling proud and encouraged by their abilities. "We are not letting you down grandfather" The two spoked in unison. The old man nodded with a small smiled and looked at his grandson Jeff, "Jeff are you sure you''re going to attend college? It''s not like in the battlefield where you can do whatever you want" The old man said. Hearin this Jeff replied, "Yes grandpa, I really want to experience the life of just a normal person. I''ve been on the battlefield for 5 years now, and now I''m 19 taking a break for 1 or 2 years is good I supposed." he said with longing to experience a normal life. The old man looking at his face that really wants to experience other than fighting and killing was feeling bad, it was his decision, or you can say, primarily it was his grandson choice. He still remembered when his grandson was a child, always obsessed with fighting. Sending him to the battlefield only made him happier. But now that his grandson had outgrown that thrill and understood how dull it could be, the old man could finally relax, knowing he was far from danger. "That''s good. No matter what choice you make, I support you," the old man said, turning his gaze toward the woman as he continued. "What about you Lexera? Do you still want to become a soldier? I think being a businesswoman suits you, it''s so dangerous out there" he said with a serious expression. Lexera hearing this could not help but roll her eyelids, "Grandpa I want to become a soldier like you, the same as father and brother. You can''t change my mind anymore grandpa this is what I really want." She said expressing her outmost dream. "Aiya, alright then if that''s what you want" The old man sigh thinking that his cute granddaughter would be sent into the battlefield beheading people. Or on the other hand maybe she will be the one to be beheaded making him worried. Seeing his worried expression Jeff on the side smile, knowing that his grandpa really doted in his little sister, "Grandpa don''t worry as long as I''m alive, I will never let Lexera travel alone." he said reassuringly. Hearing this, her expression narrowed she rebutted in anger, "Are you saying that I''m not strong enough and will just become a chopping board during battles? I''m not a little kid anymore" she said as she throws some measly punches towards Jeff. Jeff blocked with his palm smiling wryly, the old man hearing this could not help but feel his worry lessened a bit. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Since you''ve said that I''m relieved for some reason" The old man said with a laugh. Hearing his grandpa''s laugher the girl who''s hitting Jeff looked at his grandpa like a spoiled girl, "Grandpa!" she cried out with a pitiful expression. Jeff and the old man just laugh from her expression, the old man then noticed a figured on his side. It was a young man, the old man gazed, and he can see something special from this young man in front of him. Even though he was just doing some stretching, he felt that the young man in front of him is special. Filled with curiosity the old man left the two who was still quarrelling and went across towards Alexander. They were not really far apart so he arrived quicker than expected, Alexander seeing the arrival of an old man stopped what he was doing and looked at him. He can see that the old man is trying to investigate him, with its perceptive eyes. "Excuse me for the intrusion young man, are you a Martial Artist by any chance?" The old man asked. Hearing the abrupt question Alexander furrowed his brows, "Martial Artist?", he was filled with question not knowing what the old man is referring to. "No, I''m not old man" Alexander replied, devoid of any expression. The old man seeing his expression without any changed or shift of emotion put him on a stalemate, he couldn''t just force the young man to show his true self. But his intuition was never wrong, so when he was about to leave suddenly his grandson came to him. Alexander seeing the arrival of another 2 people was still at the ground in a stretching position. When his gazed came to the young man besides the old man, his expression showed a slight smile. The old man noticed the way Alexander was looking at his grandson''s handsome face and glanced back at Alexander''s smiling expression. With a puzzled look, he muttered, "Am I wrong, or is this kid actually gay?" Alexander then stood up, turned to the young man, and spoke, "Excuse me, friend, would you like to have a battle?" Hearing this the old man and the two were stunned from the sudden challenge, Jeff hearing this challenged frowned. He was an elite soldier, and for an ordinary person to challenge him, without understanding the vast difference in their skills, was someone clearly seeking their own demise. Chapter 17 - 17 Challenge Lexera who was fed up with Alexander''s arrogant behavior, shouted, "Before you fight my brother, you''ll have to go through me first!" She pointed at Alexander as she spoke. Alexander was momentarily stunned by her challenge. He could tell that, even if there were fifty of herself, she wouldn''t be a match for him. He glanced back at the guy standing next to the old man. "So, do you want to fight or not?" Alexander asked again. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Getting ignored Lexera eyes flared with anger, as she rushed suddenly with an attempt to attack. Her moved was fast and fierce, without any sign of holding back. Alexander seeing this did not panic, when the kick was almost within his face, with just extending his palm he blocked the attack. Seeing this both the old man and Jeff were surprised, they did not expect that he could blocked a full power moved just now. The old man eyes glinted in confirmation, "My guess is never been wrong". The girl Lexera who saw that her attacked was blocked, wanted to take it back but Alexander held it firmly. Angered from this she exerted pressure to his body and spin in midair with his other leg came flying to hit alexander. Before Lexera could even complete her move, Alexander grabbed her foot, pushed it, and threw off her momentum. She tumbled backward from the attack. As she rolled on the ground, her hair became disheveled. When she saw Alexander''s indifferent expression, her rage grew even stronger, this humiliation had to be repaid. But just as she was about to continue, a hand rested on her shoulder, stopping her. When she looked back, it was her grandpa, his expression serious. "Grandpa, let go of me," she demanded, trying to break free. But her grandpa''s voice stopped her. "Lexera, don''t cause trouble. This kid has some skill. Let your brother avenge you." Hearing this, Lexera quickly calmed down. She realized that, based on what had just happened, she truly wasn''t a match for him. Standing up, she shot Alexander a sulky glare, looking like a spoiled child. "Hmph," she snorted towards Alexander, standing up and tidying herself. Alexander felt wronged. She had attacked first, yet now that she was defeated, it seemed as if it was all his fault. However, he didn''t dwell on it and instead turned his attention to the young man. Before Jeff could confront Alexander, the old man leaned in and whispered to his grandson, "Teach this kid a lesson." Jeff nodded and stepped forward to face Alexander. As they squared off, the lighthearted, sunny expression vanished from Jeff''s face, replaced with a serious and focused look. "You''re going to suffer from hurting my little sister" Jeff said coldly. Alexander''s expression didn''t change, but he let out a slight smile. From another perspective, it looked like the confident grin of someone who had already won, a clear sign of arrogance. This was exactly how Jeff interpreted that smile. "Please" Alexander called as he was just standing. Jeff, taking his stance narrowed his eyes a little. He noticed that the guy in front of him seemed open with no defense at all, but he knew it had to be a trap. Still, he charged in, confident that he was stronger. Jeff who was lunged forward, throwing a swift right hook aimed at Alexander''s jaw. But just as his fist was about to connect, Alexander effortlessly sidestepped, his movements smoothly and precise. Jeff''s punch met thin air, and before he could recover, a sharp jab struck his ribs, sending a shockwave of pain through his torso. Jeff gritted his teeth, ignoring the sting, and quickly shifted his weight, aiming a low kick at Alexander''s legs. This time, it was useless as well as Alexander dodged it. With surprising agility. He was in awe to see that this normal looking guy had the strength and even the moves. Blood pumped in Jeff''s ears as he steadied himself, his muscles tensed. "I''m just getting started," he growled, charging forward again, this time his serious. "Come" Alexander taunted, with his hand signaling him to come. With a straight jab Alexander decided to confront him head on, his arms slithered through his Jab. But he takes it back as quickly he throws it. He knew that this was just a sparring match and there was no need for him to destroy the other party. Jeff seeing him take back his counterattack was enraged. Thinking that Alexander was underestimating him, so he increased the strenght in his fist and when it reaches Alexander chest. A strong hand blocked it. It was Alexander''s palm that caught his attack. "This can''t be possible," Jeff muttered in disbelief. He took a step back and unleashed a flurry of punches. But Alexander who was prepared for it, dodged each strike with ease. He moved like a snake, weaving effortlessly through the air as Jeff''s fists whistled past him. Being played like this Jeff anger rises, he was a genius back in the military. He dominated every young soldier even his seniors through a fight. But this time, he was being played by some unknown guy who was exercising in a park. Making his pride, that accompanied him from young to be ruined. "Ok that''s enough" Alexander voiced sounded. Before he could even react, Alexander slip closed to him while he was swinging, dodging the attacked. With in ranged he releases a palm strike hitting the youth in the chest. Sending him flying a few steps away, the old man who was behind was faster and caught him. When he looked at the palm print, a hint of energy was present from the attack. "A Master?" The old man mumbled as he looked at Alexander in surprised. Seeing his grandson''s pale face, with blood trickling from his mouth, the old man felt a strong urge to avenge him. But he was from an older generation, and even if he tried, he knew he stood no chance against the kid in front of him. Lexera, seeing her injured brother, quickly rushed to his side. "You''re such a bad person for bullying my brother!" she snapped, glaring at Alexander with cold eyes. Alexander smiled wryly, "It was only a match sorry I could not hold back" he explained. That''s true though from the match just now he only uses 30% of his strength. Hearing this excuse Lexera was about to retort again but was stopped by his brother. "Lexera, stop arguing," Jeff said firmly. "A duel is a duel, and I''ve lost. He held back from the very first move and if he hadn''t, I would''ve been defeated right away. He showed me some respect, but it''s still a hard pill to swallow. This is already a disgrace for me, so please don''t say anything more." Jeff''s tone was serious, leaving no room for protest. Seeing his brother expression, she could only nod his head. The old man looked at Alexander and stood up to give a handshake. "What''s your name young man?" The old man Asked. "My name is Alexander" Alexander stated his name. The old man nodded his head in acknowledgement and inquired again, "What''s your master''s name?". Alexander hearing this answered truthfully, "I have no master". Hearing this both the young guy and the old man was stunned, a talented kid with good foundation and skills had no master. How is this possible? Seeing the expression of his that is devoid of any lie, they could only nod in understanding. Jeff wasn''t feeling great about this loss, even with the help of his family''s secret technique and the training he had received at the camp. He had lost to someone who was self-taught. For Alexander, this was a turning point he had finally grasped the essence of the technique''s movements. His goal had been achieved. But the old man introduced his self-making him stay a bit longer. "My name is Franklin Blackwood," the old man introduced. "These two are my grandsons. The girl is Lexera Blackwood, and the one you just fought is Jeff Blackwood." Alexander nodded at Jeff, who returned the gesture. Lexera, however, only responded with a cold snort, making Alexander scratch his head in confusion. "Ok Mr. Franklin I''ll get going now or I''m late for work" Alexander said. But before he could go Franklin stopped him and took a card in his pocket, Alexander seeing this stopped in his tracks. "Here young Alexander take this card, my number is written in that card call me if you have any problem. Please call me Old Franklin or Franklin" Franklin spoked waiting for Alexander to take it. Alexander, who was in a hurry, took the card and put it in his pockets, "Thank you Old Franklin I''m going now or I''m late for work" As he run away from their sight. Lexera seeing his action was so angry, he did not even dare to look at his grandpa''s card making her even more dissatisfied. "I will have my revenge" She mumbled, full of resolution. Chapter 18 - 18 World of Magic and Swords In another realm, there''s a place completely different from Alexander''s world. In the vast emptiness of space, a blue and green planet that is three times larger than Earth, can be seen. Massive void worms that is large as an enormous ship, trying to breach the planet''s atmosphere, but a barrier surrounds the planet, making their attempts futile. Even with their thousands of razor-sharp, needle-like teeth trying to bite through the barrier, their efforts were futile, forcing them to flee from boredom with no results from their efforts. The scene then zoomed in on the planet, revealing vast oceans stretching for millions of miles. Some sea creatures, never before seen or documented by science, roamed its waters. The view then shifted to the continent. Towering mountains dominated the landscape, and above them flew a beast the size of a large ship. Its scales were as red as rubies, and its wings, with a single flap, could shroud the sky. A real-life dragon existed in the flesh roaming in the sky. As the view zoomed in further, it revealed an endless expanse of grasslands. Eventually, a massive kingdom appeared, sprawling across at least 20 million miles. Its borders were safeguarded by towering walls, clearly designed to defend against any invasion. There were three massive walls inside the place. One protecting the outer region, another in the middle, and the innermost wall guarding the heart of the kingdom. On each towering wall that is spread out from South, West, East and North. A diamond-shaped crystals were embedded for the blue on the outer wall is the outer wall, white on the middle wall, and red on the inner wall. They resembled turrets from video games in appearance. Inside the kingdom, the landscape was breathtaking, with mountains and rivers giving the impression of a paradise. As the view zoomed in, it revealed many villagers, and even carriages pulled by strange creatures with caterpillar-like legs and oddly shaped bodies. The scene shifted to a large room, where a wooden table with carvings and strange symbols stood. On the table was a stack of documents. The room was spacious, with bookshelves lining the walls, filled with various books. Seated at the table was a person, clearly the manager of this place, as the setting resembled an office. He was dressed in a layered outfit with a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a V-neckline, overlaid with a white vest featuring two vertical rows of square patches or pockets. Around his neck, there is a choker or band adorned with a rectangular ornament. His waist is encircled by an assortment of belts and pouches, with one belt having a large circular buckle in the center. His lower attire consists of baggy pants gathered at the knees, leading into fitted greaves or shin guards. These greaves have straps and buckles for fastening and are paired with heavy boots that have reinforced toes. Additionally, he has armored pieces on each forearm, possibly made of leather or metal, covering from wrist to elbow. His hands are bare, that seems to be a dignified and handsome person, but he was big and fat ruining the entire introduction. The fat person that looks like of a merchant had a magnifying single eyeglass on his right eye. Carefully, reading the entire description of this person its none other than our, Fatmerchant69. He was seated with his hands on the table where his jaw was place on the back of his palm, looking at the door with patience. Suddenly a footstep came all of a sudden and the door was open violently. "This deal must be of great importance, or I will really hit the shit out of you Bruggin" A middle aged man appeared that also wore layering clothes. The middle-aged man that had the looks of a professor wore a suit with an exquisite blend of dark, enchanted fabrics, the main color is a deep charcoal grey, with veins of iridescent silver threads running through the fabric, which catch the light and shimmer faintly, giving an almost otherworldly aura. The suit''s material appears lightweight yet durable, perhaps offering him protection or increasing his agility in subtle ways. The jacket is sleek and tailored to perfection, with a high collar that stands slightly, giving him an imposing presence. The edges of the collar and cuffs are lined with obsidian-black embroidery, etched with intricate potion symbols that signify his power and status within the magical community ''maybe''. The buttons are not ordinary either they are made from polished stone that looks like it was plucked from the moon, which glow faintly with an ethereal light. Each button bears a small, inscribed rune not knowing its function. Underneath the jacket, he wears a black silk vest, embroidered with delicate, swirling designs in dark silver. The vest is fastened by a row of silver chains, giving it a more regal and mystical appearance. The man tie is made of deep blue velvet, fastened with a silver clasp in the shape of a crescent moon. His pants are made of the same charcoal grey, enchanted fabric as his jacket, fitting seamlessly with his tall, lean figure. They taper down to his polished black leather boots, which are adorned with runic inscriptions, offering both style and beauty. He was tall and domineering, the way he looked at Fatmerchant 69, whose real name is Bruggin Thistlebrow. He did not choose the name Fatmerchant69 but it''s up to the system itself, so he can only swallow this problem not knowing how to change the username. Fatmerchant69 or Bruggin is a shrewd but jolly merchant, with a knack for making deals and a deep love for food and drink (hence his interest in selling his beverage). His last name, "Thistlebrow," could imply that despite his outward joviality, he has a sharp and prickly side when it comes to business. He''s a hustler, willing to go to great lengths to make a profit. His owner of the big company Everbarrel Mercantile, which is located in the center district of the Demacian Kingdom. It''s a Five-star Shop where adventurers and nobles trade for some equipment''s and other items, but this shop is renowned when it comes to drink and potions. Across him the middle-aged man Valtor Ashveil is the CEO or the Founder of ElixirCraft Industries. Valtor is a cold, calculating businessman with a deep understanding of both magic and alchemy. He was called through by Bruggin with some magical item because of a great deal which he cannot declined, even though he was located in the other kingdom that is located 100 thousand miles away. He travelled fast using magic crossing mountains and rivers, knowing that this fat guy deal must be really important and profitable. The both of them were friends for a long time and considered comrade in arms. So, if there''s a good thing the both of them will not let the other party leaved a share, which made them seem more like a brother related by blood. Hearing his angry call Bruggin smile totally used to this, "Sit here for a while Valton, I''m going to show you something good". Valton just snorted while saying, "It better be good or my trip this time will be useless". As he sat in the seat across the table looking at Bruggin with curiosity. "Don''t worry you will love this" Bruggin smiled mischievously. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing his expression Valton was curios, he was a man who was direct and can''t handle being cliffhanger. "Can you show me the item, you''re making me curios" he said running out of patience. Bruggin smiled and raised his hand, causing the air to distort. A void opened, and from it, he pulled out a bottle made of green plastic, with strange carvings or markings on it, possibly an enchantment made by an enchanter. The Valton who was observing this wasn''t surprised, knowing that since childhood, Bruggin had an affinity for a rare element and that is space. What he didn''t realize, however, was that this ability was actually part of a system, allowing him to store items. Nonetheless, Bruggin did indeed have a natural affinity for space, while the system provided an external storage ability for him to use. Putting it in the table Valton expression remained nonchalant as he looked Bruggin confused, "So you''re giving me a bottle of your piss is this what you mean" he said questioningly. Chapter 19 - 19 World of Magic and Swords 2 Bruggin hearing this was stunned from the sudden disgusting words, "If you''re not my brother I will not going to share you, my piss. Just drink the damned thing and you will know" He retorted. Valton was cautious, looking at the bottle and Brugging back and forth, "It''s not poison right?" He asked with brows furrowed. "Valton, are you really that stupid? We''ve drunk together on plenty of occasions. If I wanted to poison you, I would''ve done it a long time ago," Bruggin said. Hearing this, Valton realized Bruggin was right, and his cautious demeanor faded. He picked up the bottle, inspected it, and a look of appreciation appeared on his face. As an Alchemist this is the first time, he had seen a bottle to store a drink made of plastic and not glass. Even with his years of experience, the words engraved on it he could not understand wondering what it says. Valton then opened the bottle cap then he slowly drinks it. As the first sip of the strange green liquid touched Valtor''s tongue, his senses were immediately overwhelmed. It was not cold but sharp, unlike any potion or brew he''d ever tasted. The fizz bubbled wildly in his mouth, crackling against his tongue like tiny bursts of energy. A shockingly sweet, citrusy flavor flooded his taste buds, tangy and bold, leaving a tingling sensation as it slid down his throat. It was both invigorating and alien [''alien'' I use because I find it fitted in this text], then a strange combination of flavors and sensations that made his heart race. For a moment, he paused with his eyes wide, unsure if he had just consumed a magical concoction or some powerful alchemical elixir. The drink felt electrifying, awakening something within him that left him craving more, even as he tried to make sense of the unfamiliar taste. Even though it did not increase his stats but the flavor it could be consider a delicacy, Valton was filled with question as he looked at Bruggin who''s smiling from ear to ear looking at him. "Where did you get this?" Valton asked unknowingly. "I''ve got this from an unknown adventurer, and he seems to have this, but he can only produce this in low margin. Now you''ve known the reason why I called you right" Brugging said looking at Valton intently. Knowing the meaning in his words he replied, "So you want me to produce this kind of drink, by providing me samples?" Valton said with knowing his intention. "Bingo! You nailed it" Bruggin said with thumbs up. Valton was in a dilemma for a moment, even though an alchemist renowned throughout the kingdom the taste of this, brough him to a new light that even he did not know such drink actually exist. But this is what he liked the most, the more mysterious it is the more he wanted it to discover. Not agreeing for a while he decided to inquire more about it. "Who''s the mysterious guy who sell this to you?" Valton inquired. "As I mentioned, he''s a mysterious one," Bruggin said. "He wears a black cloak that hides his face and body. He only sells this to me, and he resupplies me with around seven sets every week. I buy them for 2 gold each, and I plan to resell them for 3 gold. I''ll give you one set for research, and if you make a breakthrough, we''ll split the profits 50-50. So, do we have a deal?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bruggin cleverly concealed the true identity of the system and the real price of the drink, even fabricating Alexander as a mysterious merchant. Well Alexander existence truly is mysterious, since his from another realm and only doing some trade. Unable to find any fault in Bruggin''s words and recognizing the potential profits if this product hit the market, Valton decided to agree. "When do you plan to sell this?" Valton asked. "Next week when I''ve received another supply of this. I want to make it grand so more people can buy as the stock run out, they will increase the price from the original one knowing how scarce it is" Bruggin said cunningly. Valton nodded for he knows that noble and even the king will love this if it was put in sell, "Then give me 1 set for this drink and I''ll do my research right away" Without any hesitation, "Sure here" Bruggin said as he took a whole set of Mountain Dew in his system storage. Seeing this Valton could not help but be envious, having an affinity for space is really a cool one. Not only it''s good for travelling but it even has a great ability to escape in crisis, but its best used is when it comes to storing items. As 1 tray of Mountain Dew was placed in the table Valton then hurriedly put it in his storage pouch, which is also made of space element. He was in a haste afraid that someone will take it from him. Seeing his actions Bruggin smiled while thinking about next week plans, he needs to make an advertising and a grand unveiling at that. "I should get going now, I want to study this unknown drink. I''ll call you from the call stone when it was done" Valton said as he stood up leaving the shop. He flew up opening the window in the office, as he was floating there seems to be a wisp of air surrounding him. In this world it''s like very normal to fly or even store items in an empty space. Bruggin did not stop seeing how excited he is to uncover its secret, also it was in his best interest if he ever uncovers it. He then looked at his ceiling wondering what another surprised this ''AlexanderTheGrate'' will bring to him. Talking about Alex he was in a haste running from the sideroad with formal clothes afraid that he may be late from second day. Chapter 20 - 20 Completing the Mission Alexander who was on the way to his work arrived not totally late, Claire seeing him greeted a good morning and the both of them then changed clothes. Once dressed Alexander in his uniform, finally they opened the store, and he stand at the entrance of the door again waiting for customers to come. Then finally the first customer arrived, which was assisted by Alexander. As he ordered, Alexander heed his request. As time goes by more and more customers came. The place quickly filled with people, and it became busy as customers came and went. This left little time for Claire and Alexander to interact. While Alexander was serving, a man with heavy makeup caught his attention. Despite having a rugged, manly face, the man gave Alexander a charming look. When he was serving the table, as he put the plate of food. The guy touched his hands coincidentally. His whole body seems to have been electrocuted. "If that''s all I''m going now" Alexander said with a forced smile, as he walked away. The guy looking at Alexander figured disappearing was saddened, his pals who were also gay look at him laughing. "Hahha, you''ve scared the young man, why are you not so patient Miguel" One of the gay with heavy makeup said, the blush on his cheeks was so thick. "Yeah, look at him! You scared him so badly," one of them added with a hint of frustration. "I didn''t even get his name because of you." Hearing this, his previously sad expression shifted into a fierce one, completely different from his earlier, lady like demeanor. "Shut up you two, it''s not my fault his so handsome. Hays, his beauty is the only thing we can admire without touching" The gay named Miguel said, with a disheartened tone. Alexander felt cringed all throughout his body, the three did not know that with Alexander increased in overall stats. Could hear their conversation, even with noise from the other customer. As they were done eating Alexander thanked them for eating, leaving directly afraid that something might have happened. The three gays also left the restaurant, thanking Alexander for the food and service he offered. Alexander proceeded with his work, until finally the end of work was done. It was 5 in the afternoon, both Alexander and Claire did not hang out. Because both are busy Alexander took the allowance from chief Weasley, he also did not see the figure of Sophie knowing that she must be on her way to tutor. Receiving his allowance of 1,000 pesos, Alexander then took a ride home and arrived on his place, he was not tired but wants to finish this mission fast. [Balance: 1,000 Pesos] He knows that something good might have happened if he finishes this mission. [Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Time Limit: 5 Days] Looking at the mission in the system panel where he only had 5 days remaining. He took called his system to show his total accumulation. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [After accumulating for about 17 hours, 12 mins, and 11 seconds the total amount that is generated is over 34,405 Pesos] Seeing the result Alexander though that this is so low, the amount of money he can generate is relatively slow, so slow. "I guess It''s tapping time" Alexander said cooly like a power ranger. As Alexander tapped away on his phone non-stop, a series of two-digit numbers appeared on the screen with each click. Occasionally, 1 EXP was added, but the rate of EXP increase remained relatively low. Ten minutes passed and thanks to his increased in strength, Alexander didn''t feel tired. He remained focused, still clicking on the screen full of concentration. 20, 30, 40, 50, and finally 60 minutes. 1 hour had passes and Alexander felt that his fingers trembled slightly and when he looked at the total amount, he acquired from tap money he sighed. [Tap Money: 48,000 Pesos Earnings Generator: 2,000 Pesos] For the Tap Money he has earned about 48,000 pesos while for the Earnings Generator he has made 2,000 pesos in just one hour. "Slow" He mumbled as he cashout the balance. [Current Balance: 51,000 Pesos] He then decided to upgrade the Tap multiplier because it''s much more convenient than the Earnings Generator. By clicking ''Upgrade'', the price changed making the 50,000 Pesos to 100,000 Pesos. The price just doubled but the level rises from 3. So, it''s still good. [Tap Money {+} 2 pesos per tap total earning: 0 Tap Earning (level: 2) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {3 pesos} will cost around 5,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 3) for every one tap will be equivalent to 3 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 100,000 pesos]. Nodding in appreciation he decided to continue his grinding, Alexander then decided to upgrade Tap Earning next, to increase the amount of money he can make with this. Tapping in the screen for a while he made 6 pesos per one tap because of the multiplier. After tapping for 10 minutes, he has accumulated 6,000 Pesos. He then upgraded the Tap earning that cost only 5,000 Pesos. As the level rises the same as the next price now it became 10,000 Pesos doubling to its original. Alexander continued his grind, and after 12 minutes of non-stop tapping, he managed to earn 10,000 pesos. Feeling satisfied, he claimed the money and upgraded his skill to ''Tap Earning'' Directly. The next upgrade now required 15,000 pesos. As a bonus for upgrading, he gained some EXP, not only from the upgrade itself but also from the tapping he had been doing along the way. [Congratulation Host for leveling up] [Because of the easiest way in levelling up by just only upgrading in the system function. The exp gained from upgrading in the system Generated Money will not work anymore. While the chances of receiving exp from tapping will also be lowered to 5% chance] Reading this Alexander was stunned and furios, but his face remained stoic as ever and his mind calmed down all of a sudden. "This skill is really full of wonders" he spoked in his mind. Alexander then asked the question, "Are there any other way to gather exp points?" he said filled with questions. [That''s up to the Host to find out] Reading this, luckily Alexander knows that he can''t pull his hopes up from this. Since there''s a lot of time, he will slowly discovered how to gain exp. "System show me my, current status" Alexander commanded. [Status Experience: 0/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 3 Strength: 13 Speed: 10 Defense: 10 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 16,035 pesos Balance: 0 Pesos Skills: {Heart of Stone [UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}] [Author''s Note: UN is short for Unique, I know you get the idea so peace.] Chapter 21 - 21 Completing the Mission 2 Looking at his stats in the system panel, his all of his status points increased by 1 except for Charisma. With this he somehow felt some changes in his body only a little. Alexander then continued on his grinding which is the journey of tapping in the screen, tapping and tapping for a while until 10 minutes passed. [Tap Money: 20,592 pesos] he had gained 20,592 in just 10 minutes talk about a massive breakthrough. [Author''s note: Just for some clarification because the tap varies from him tapping every miliseconds so sometime he tap at 0.3 sec to 0.6 sec. So that''s why the amount sometime he get is high and low depending on his speed and tapping.] With this he directly upgrades the Tap Earning which only cost about 15,000 Pesos. As the level rises by 1, he did not receive any exp because of the system removing that way for gaining exp. Even after 10 minutes of tapping he received only 1 exp, which made him sigh from sadness. [Tap Money {+} 5 pesos per tap total earning: 0 Tap Earning (level: 5) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {6 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 3) for every one tap will be equivalent to 3 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 100,000 pesos.] Seeing the massive increase in the price, Alexander was heartbroken again. He now has to continue his grinding and focus on the multiplier to increase the speed in making money. "Let''s tap for 30 minutes non-stop for now to accumulate enough money" Alexander though a basic plan. As he taps again through the screen non-stop, he was basically like an idiot tapping at the empty screen to other people''s view. But to him, he was tapping at the app home screen generating money. Just like that 30-minute passed and another hour just passed. Now its currently 9 in the evening. [Earnings Generator: Total Earning: 2,000 Pesos Tap Money: Total Earning: 61,776] [Balance: 6,592] Alexander seeing this could only frown, in the Earning Generator this money generator is clearly too slow. But he did not plan to upgrade that but focus solely on tapping, because it''s much faster and more efficient this way. He then collected the money making his balance [70,368], He decided to keep this money and wait for it to reach 100,000 to upgrade the multiplier. Just by that 15-minute passed and he made, exactly 38,610 pesos in that time. totaling he made [108,978 Pesos]. He did not waste any time and directly upgraded the Multiplier. [Tap multiplier (level: 4) for every one tap will be equivalent to 4 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 500,000 pesos.] Just by that the price rises again by 4 times its original making it 500,000 Pesos. Alexander could only hiss, like a snake. But this did not lower his resolved but continue on his grinding just by that time passes, and finally. His finger finally numbed from tapping. "Is this my Limit?" Alexander mumbled, feeling his finger shaking from the tapping. From his normal self 6-10 minutes is his normal capacity to tapped continuously but now it made it reached passed 3 hours. He even still has the power to go if he wanted to but now it''s already 10 in the evening. If you think about it, his strength and endurance really increased. In the 45 minutes from tapping he had made, [154,440 Pesos]. Just like that, the multiplier could greatly change the speed of making money. Alexander decided to stop for now and continue grinding tomorrow, he then collected the money from every generator. For the Earnings Generator he only made [1,250 Pesos] in the past 45 minutes which is really slow. [Balance: 164,668 Pesos] Alexander then upgrades the Earnings that only cost about 6,000 Pesos. He upgrades it and the price rises every 1,000 Pesos reaching it to level 10. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Earnings (level: 10) upgrade the value of earnings to {11 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos.] Current Status [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 2 Title: None Level: 3 Strength: 13 Speed: 10 Defense: 10 Charisma: 9.5 Earnings: 0 pesos Balance: 124,668 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}] [Generated Money Earnings Generator{+}: 10 pesos per 9 seconds total earnings : 15 Earnings (level: 10) upgrade the value of earnings to {11 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos. Speed Earnings (level: 5) Upgrade the speed of earning to {8.8 per/sec} will cost around 100,000 pesos. Tap Money {+} 5 pesos per tap total earning: 0 Tap Earning (level: 5) Upgrade the Value of every tap to {6 pesos} will cost around 60,000 pesos. Tap multiplier (level: 4) for every one tap will be equivalent to 4 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 500,000 pesos. ] Alexander took a quick shower and went to sleep. The next morning, he headed to work as usual. Upon arriving, he greeted Valentine, who was always there early. He also greeted Weasley and her daughter, Sophie, in the kitchen. Later, he and Claire had a brief conversation to pass the time while they waited for the day to start. When it''s finally time to open, Alexander went back to his role in serving the guest, taking their orders, giving them their orders with outmost hospitality. The Black Serpent Gang did not trouble him this time not knowing the reason why, but this though disappeared suddenly. His mind was not fully occupied about those ruffians, since how could they possibly deal with him? Finally, work was done and Weasley gave him his salary which is [1,000 Pesos] which added from his Balance. Alexander then bade his farewell both to Claire and Weasley since Sophie wasn''t their knowing that she was tutoring. Going back home at exactly 5 in the afternoon he quickly called his system. "System show me the total money I''ve made this time" Alexander said inwardly. [ Earnings Generator: 10 pesos per 9 sec Total Earnings: 76,000 pesos] Seeing the good amount of money he had gotten for 19 hours he was satisfied because its above 50 thousand. [Current Balance: 174,668 Pesos] Alexander did not waste any time but to grind this time for about 2 hours, starting right now. In just 10 minutes, Alexander earned [34,320 pesos]. With the same amount coming in every 10 minutes, an hour eventually passed. From Tap Earnings, he accumulated [205,920 pesos], and the Earnings Generator added another [4,000 pesos], bringing the total to [209,920 pesos]. Now his current balance is, [384,558 Pesos] Seeing this the speed of making money was now fast. He could even become a millionaire in just no time completing the mission. He then continued to tap for the screen for another 30 minutes, he made a total of [102,960 Pesos] now he got [487,518 Pesos] which is only short for about 13 thousand or lower than that for the next upgrade. So, grinding for about 4 minutes he made [13,720 pesos], now he had [501,238 Pesos] on his balance. "Finally," Alexander said happily, if he can upgrade the multiplier again. The tapping money he gets will multiply again. Just like that he spends 500 thousand to upgrade the Tap Multiplier lowering his current balance to, [1,238 Pesos]. [Tap multiplier (level: 5) for every one tap will be equivalent to 5 taps. Next upgrade will cost around 10,000,000 pesos.] Seeing the massive increased in the next upgrade his eyes almost escaped from his sockets. "Damned, why did it increase so high. Even its price is the same as those skill in the system shop" Alexander said dumbfoundedly. But the system did not offer any explanation so he can only swallow his anger. So, he continued his tapping adventure. In just 10 minutes he had earned, [42,900 Pesos] But why did it seem like his still far from his goal though? If he continued this, he will exponentially finish the mission. So, he then continued finally other hours passed and he made a total of, [260,100 Pesos] added by his current balance his balance now is, [261,238 Pesos] "So, if I continued tapping for about 4 hours, I will actually complete the mission, because that will earn me a million" Alexander calculated. Then suddenly his stomach growled, clearly it was hunger. "Maybe taking a break for about 30 minutes will be good" Alexander said, looking at the time it was 7:14 in the evening. He dressed up to look more civilized, then exited the door. Coincidentally the girl just beside his room neighbor actually exited at the same time as him, the two eyes were connected and the girl looked at Alexander with a smile blooming at her face. Her beauty was truly beyond words, radiating an aura of pure innocence that could effortlessly capture any man''s heart with just a single glance. There was something captivating about her presence, as if even a brief moment of eye contact would be enough to leave a lasting impression. Chapter 22 - 22 Mission Complete Alexander was surprised to see a familiar face again. "What a coincidence," he thought to himself. "Good evening, miss," he greeted, still unsure of her name. Since they were neighbors, it seemed natural that they should know each other. The pink-haired girl realized this too after living next door to each other for so long, getting to know one another made sense. "I''m Lily Carter, nice to meet you-" Lily the pink haired girl inquired, with her expression full of question mark "Alexander" Alexander said responding with a shake of hands. After getting to know each other, Alexander pulled his hands back and noticed what she was wearing it is a plain white t-shirt and black jeans. He thought she might be heading out for some things. "Are you going out?" Alexander asked respectfully, he did not really want to butt in from her life and be nosy. But yet he did. But for real he just run out of topic to talk about, since she only meets her for once. "Oh, I''m just going out to buy dinner from a retail store. Are you heading there too?" she asked with a smile, her dimples making her look even cuter and more innocent. Alexander nodded in response. "Yes, I''m just going to go out to have some dinner to fill my stomach. Would you like to go together?" he suggested. Lily the pink haired woman did not rejected Alexander offer, since they were going at the same place and finally get to know each other. Having a little conversation to the place seems good. Since she also felt a favorable impression toward Alexander, she couldn''t help but notice that this was the first time she had met a man who remained calm and composed without changing his expression while talking to her. She was a very observant person, but when she looked into Alexander''s gaze, it felt as if he had a heart of stone. "Am I not pretty?" She mumbled as the two of them were out of the building. On the road that only cars were making noises, while some passerby chatter. The both of them did not have any talk, Alexander really did not know how to communicate since she was unfamiliar with her. The silence was so loud between the two of them, finally they arrived at the nearby 24-hours retail store. Alexander and Lily went inside the store and look for something to buy. As they arrived in the counter to pay Alexander bought a Cup noodles with a bread and a hot red hotdog inside. He paid for less than a hundred just barely moved his money in his balance. While Lily also bought some Cup noodle also but the one, she buys was like that of a porridge with rice on it. While Alexander was the sushi kind. After paying the food Alexander sat in the table followed by Lily, the two of them were facing each other. If people were to look at this scene, they will think that this two were dating or more precise were in a relationship. Alexander then opens the lid, which was opened slightly, before he seats at the place. He first filled it with hot water he also assisted Lily earlier to fill it with hot water, which she agreed readily. As they sat together, neither of them had spoken since they were at the apartment, aside from a bit of small talk when he helped her fill a cup with hot water earlier. After a moment of awkward silence, he decided to initiate a conversation to get to know her better. "So, Lily, is it okay if I ask whether you attend school? What year are you in?" Alexander asked while sipping his noodles. Hearing his questions, Lily replied with enthusiasm, "Yep, I''m in college right now! I''m currently a second-year student in BFA." From her voice, it was clear that she truly loved her course. Alexander had no idea what BFA stood for, so he sat in silence, trying to process what kind of program it was. Noticing his blank expression, Lily understood what he was thinking. "Actually, BFA stands for Bachelor of Fine Arts. It''s a four-year program that offers specializations in Painting, Sculpture, and Visual Communication," she explained to help him understand. Alexander, caught off guard, felt embarrassed as he noticed his own reaction. Lily smiled at him reassuringly. "Don''t worry about it you''re not the only one who doesn''t know. I''ve been asked so many times, and only a few people really understand it, so it''s completely normal." Hearing this made Alexander feel a little better. He wasn''t particularly smart just an average guy. But he thought that not knowing about the course didn''t reflect on his intelligence actually, it was more about not having done the research, so there was no reason to be disappointed in himself. "What about you Alexander what course are you in?" Lily asked her gaze is questioning. "Oh mine? actually, mine is Bachelor of Secondary Education since I find it fun to teach. I plan to enroll as a first-year next month when the school opens" Alexander said with a smile. Lily parted her lips slightly and said, "Oh," but when she heard that he was a first-year student, her brows furrowed. "Did you just say you''re a first year? when school opens?" she asked. "Yes," Alexander replied without hesitation. Lily mouth was in awe the way she looked at Alexander, seeing this Alexander was stunned seeing her expression. "Is it really that shocking or is there a ghost behind me" Alexander said doubtfully as he gazed at her eyes that is clearly looking at him. "So, there''s no ghost" Alexander said with a blank expression. "Is it really a matter to be shocked with, its not like it''s a famous or well-known course." Alexander spoked. Realizing her sudden changed in expression, she was embarrassed and quickly adjusted herself. "Sorry about that, that was a bit unprofessional of me. I just assumed you were the same as me, a second or even third-year student I did not you''re just actually recent graduate. It''s just that you have the demeanor of a mature person who has experienced a lot," she explained, sharing her honest thoughts. Hearing this, Alexander understood why she had mistaken him for being older. It was due to his skill, "Stone of Heart," and the experiences that had greatly enhanced his demeanor as a man, even though he was only 18. "So, what kind of school do you plan to enroll in" she inquired as her ears perked up a little. "I plan to enroll in Sagebrook College on Monday its just 3 days away." Alexander replied. He found this information on their official page stating that they would open on Monday, so he realized he needed to prepare the necessary requirements. Meanwhile, Lily''s face lit up with excitement. "Really? You''re going to attend Sagebrook? That''s great! I guess that makes me your senior," Lily said proudly. Being called a senior by a young, handsome man felt wonderful to her. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Senior? You''re actually a student at Sagebrook?" Alexander asked, surprised. "Of course! If you need a tour guide, I''ll be there. Just call me Lily," she joked, laughing lightly. She looked like an innocent young maiden. Alexander was in a turmoil right now, her beauty and demeanor as an innocent and quiet girl, was actually different from her real self. "She''s actually pretty talkative and very lively, I really though she''s the quiet type. Looks can really be deceiving" Alexander though about her. They have some conversation about some stuff their laugh and engaging talk were a good sight to see, they then finished their talk and dinner that took exactly 30 minutes. Alexander then took the honor to grab the food they had brought and tossed it into the dumpster to help reduce pollution and prevent the spread of germs. [Be like Alexander¡ªresponsible with your trash, if you don''t want to be a trash in the future.] They took a walk still having a conversation and finally arrived back to the apartment, just outside their door, Alexander bid farewell. "Have a nice sleep senior" Alexander said, his face arched a smile. "Ayy, I said don''t call me senior you''re making me looked old. I''ll go now and rest you to as well Alexander" Lily said with a smile. Alexander nodded then both of them went inside their irrespective place, inside felling rejuvenated and full. He decided to continue his work which is the tapping kind. His total balance is currently [261,238 Pesos] added by his Earning Generator that earned him only [ 2,400 pesos] for about 36 minutes outside. Alexander then started, he knows that it will take him about 4-5 hours to achieve his necessary goal. He did not waster anymore time as he started at 8:01 pm. With his pointed finger, he tapped at the screen with unbelievable speed. Just like that an hour passed he earned [180,360 pesos.] in Tap earnings. "The earnings this were slow, I must increase my speed tapping" Alexander voiced out. With an increased in speed his fingers tap at the speed of lightning, just like that another hour passed yet again. In just 1 hour he earned [299,700 pesos] from tap earning. He was surprised by the increased when he increased his pace. So, he continued with his finger that was numbed already with his movement somewhat slow down a little. Making him earned at least [278,870 pesos] Which is still good totaling this he had around [758,930 pesos] In his Tap Earning balance. "I though it will take me 4-5 hours but it actually took me around 3 hours at most" Alexander said excitedly. As he claimed the money from Tap Earnings and the Earnings Generator, which was [12,000 Pesos], he added it to his current balance of 261,238 Pesos. This brought his total balance to [1,032,168 pesos]. Suddenly, a *ding sounded, indicating that he had finally completed the mission. [Mission: Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Status: Complete] Chapter 23 - 23 A luxurious Villa? [Mission: Become a Millionaire Difficulty: easy Reward: +1 level, 2x earnings for 5 minutes, and 1 lucky spin. Status: Complete] [Congratulations for completing the mission Host] Then Alexander was covered by some specter blue light, his level increased by 1. [You have leveled up] [You have an inactive 2x earnings for 5 minutes and 1 lucky spin. Do you want to use the items?] Alexander seeing this really wanted to use the 2x earnings directly and make money, but he stopped himself. He will first grind and increased the multiplier to earn more, so he''ll just put it in the system inventory for now. "System I want to use lucky spin" Alexander decided, wanting to know how his luck will be. A spinning wheel appeared before him. It looked holographic, but felt solid, like a 3D object he could actually touch. When he pulled the red lever, the wheel spun wildly, with the red pointer darting around nonstop. "Please be something good" Alexander prayed. As the seconds passed, the spinning wheel gradually slowed down. Each section was marked with a question mark not knowing what''s the price, leaving him unsure of what he might win. Hoping for something good, he silently prayed as the wheel slowed more and more. Finally, it came to a halt on the white question mark. The red pointer stopped precisely at that spot, and Alexander''s anticipation grew, eager to see what he had won. *Ding [Congratulations, Host! You have won ''Evercrest Manor'' located in ''Summit Heights.''] Alexander was stunned. The name of the manor was famous throughout Iloilo, and its estimated value was a staggering 10 billion pesos. He couldn''t believe how lucky he was to win such a prize from the lucky spin. Smiling smugly, he really admired his luck. [Host, you''re not actually that lucky. This is the second-lowest prize on the spinning wheel.] The system spoked making an expression [-_-]. Alexander was stunned, "Lowest? Are you kidding me? This is the best prize! You''re just trying to gaslight me because I hit it big this time," he retorted. [Well, if that''s what you want to believe, then so be it,] The system replied nonchalantly. Alexander blinked in surprise. The system had been so quiet over the past few days, but now it seemed livelier. "Are the other prizes really that good?" he muttered to himself, his mind racing with curiosity. "System, can you tell me what the top prize is?" he asked eagerly. [Sorry, Host, I can''t divulge that information. It''s private and must remain confidential.] The system said nonchalantly, Alexander hearing this made a sigh. He racked his mind and asked again, "Not even just a hint?" The system did not reply and made a sigh, Alexander was filled with question mark. Is it even possible for a system to sigh even though it''s a robot? [Since you insist, I''ll give you a hint. This will be the only time I''ll do this. The first prize is a weapon. If it were put up for auction in your world, its value would be around a trillion, or even more if someone could afford it, that is.] Hearing this, Alexander was left speechless, his face turning pale. The idea of a weapon worth more than a trillion was mind-boggling, he really felt that the prize he won actually pale in comparison to that. "What kind of weapon could it possibly be?" Alexander wondered, his curiosity growing. He was just about to dive deeper into his thoughts when his phone suddenly rang. It vibrated and so he took it and answer the phone call, the number is a new one wondering who called. "Good evening esteemed sir, I''ll just want to ask on what schedule would you like to sign the papers for the ownership of the Villa?" A voice of a woman sounded in the phone speaker. Alexander hearing this, knew that this must be the reward of the system, "That''s fast" he said inwardly. "What about tomorrow? I have no plans for the day," Alexander replied. "Sure, I''ll be at Evercrest Manor in Summit Heights at 12 in the afternoon to give you the necessary documents. Does that work for you?" the lady asked. Alexander nodded. He wanted to inspect the manor himself, so signing the papers there seemed perfect. After the call ended, he slumped onto his bed, filled with satisfaction. [Congratulations for the Host in completing you''re first Mission. The second mission was given] [Mission: Saved the Village Difficulty: Medium Reward: +3 Level, Random Middle grade item, and New system function. Description: You will be transported to another world on an Island called ''Mistveil Island''. The goal of this is to keep the village ''Ariana'' from the beast attacks and find the mastermind attracting this beast. You will be transported after 3 days, please be prepared. Failing the mission, will make the host experience sperm cramps for 1 week with 100% pain intensity. Time Limit: 1 Month, clock will start after getting transported.] Reading the mission, Alexander furrowed his brows. This time, he was tasked with saving a village in another world, and the difficulty was marked as "medium," indicating it would be a tough challenge. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Another world? I wonder what kind of place that will be," Alexander mumbled, rubbing his chin in deep thought. He wondered what is the different between the people from that from his, his mind then made an image about an alien with green skid and big head. "That''s no possible right" He asked himself inwardly, as he inspect at the system task again. "Saving the village from beast attacks? That sounds dangerous, I need to get stronger if I''m going to survive this. It''s literally a matter of life and death now." Just thinking about the mission filled him with unease. The idea of failing and facing the penalty was terrifying. But will he die though? Since he will die how can he be punished? [The Host will not die, if you did die during mission, you will return back to your world and that will be the punishment will start] Hearing the penalty, Alexander was terrified. Sperm cramps for a week with a 100% increase in pain intensity? That would be insanely painful. Determined to avoid that fate, he decided to spend the 1 million pesos he had in the system shop. Navigating to the system shop, Alexander knew he needed to buy at least one technique to help him survive. He was aware that 1 million wasn''t much, but in this case, purchasing even a single technique could be a lifesaver. After navigating to the system shop and choosing the technique panel, he scrolled and scrolled until finally he caught something. [Vital Draw Technique: a basic cultivation method designed to absorb natural energy from the surrounding environment to gradually strengthen the practitioner''s body. Price: 1 Million Pesos] Seeing this Alexander was ecstatic, with this after constantly absorbing the energy with the surrounding area. Not knowing how is that possible, but still. It could improve his strength making it really convenient for his upcoming mission. Clicking the buy button, the introductory of the skill and how to use it was absorbed by his mind, after absorbing the knowledge Alexander then seated at the top of the bed. [Balance: 32,168 Pesos] Sitting cross-legged on the ground, his posture perfectly straight and serene. His hands rested gently on his knees, palms facing upward, with the tips of his thumbs and index fingers touching to form a circle. He closed his eyes, allowing his breath to slow and deepen. With each inhale, he visualized drawing in the energy, that is like a vibrant string of pure white from the surrounding environment. The energy flowed through his nostrils, down his throat, and into his lungs, where it began to circulate throughout his body. As he exhaled, he imagined any impurities or negative energies being expelled from his body, leaving him feeling lighter and more focused. His mind became a still pond, undisturbed by the ripples of thought. Gradually, he began to feel a warm, tingling sensation in his palms. The energy he had gathered was now pooling inside him, the energy center located just below his navel. Which he directed this energy through every inch of his body allowing it to be nourish and strengthen his internal organs. With each cycle of breath, his breathed connection to the natural world deepened. He could sense the subtle energies of the earth beneath him, the sky above, and the life all around. In this state of profound harmony, he continued to gather and refine his self. By focusing on slow, steady breathing and channeling energy through specific points in the body, this technique increases physical endurance, enhances muscle strength, and promotes recovery. While it is the lowest grade of energy absorption techniques, it is a solid foundation for beginners to build their strength over time. Results are slow and require consistent practice, but over time, the practitioner''s body will become noticeably more resilient. Alexander who was immersed in cultivating the Vital Draw Technique, faint golden lines flickered across his skin, tracing intricate patterns as if marking the pathways of energy surging through his body. For a brief moment, his muscles tightened, veins pulsed with energy, and a glowing aura surrounded him, showing an untapped, immense power. But just as quickly as the signs appeared, they faded, leaving no trace, as if the power was hiding, waiting to fully awaken. The system, sensing something dangerous while feeling immense pressure, suddenly materialized outside, casting a strange look at Alexander. [This power... I can''t believe it. Even for a moment, I felt threatened. You are actually gifted and blessed. Even without my assistance, you would still rise to stand above everyone,] The system said, as surprise flickering across its interface, which now seemed more human-like than before. [I can''t believe it¡ªdespite my abilities, I still can''t fully comprehend what''s inside you. But let''s leave it for now. Since you''re my host, I''m excited to see what surprises you''ll bring,] it added with a tone of intrigue. The system spoke before disappearing, but Alexander was so focused that he didn''t notice what had happened. [What do you think is the reason the system is surprised by Alexander? And what is the system exactly to have a personality like a real person with its own mind and intelligence? Comment below.] Chapter 24 - 24 Trouble is Cumming! Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Alexander was completely unaware that hours had passed. The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his face, gradually waking him up and making his eyes widen. Then, a strong odor hit his nose once more remembering something bad. "Not again," Alexander sighed in dismay. He hurried to the bathroom and took a long bath, scrubbing every inch of his body. Once he was done, he wrapped a towel around his lower half and approached the mirror. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and glanced at his reflection. He looked at himself in the mirror and was stunned. His face was the same, but he felt as if his charm had increased. He radiated an otherworldly aura that surpassed even those from families who had trained and honed themselves for years. Self-reflection had never held much importance for Alexander, but today was different. Standing before the mirror, he felt something had changed. His face, once familiar, now held an undeniable magnetism. His black hair, which normally fell casually over his brow, seemed fuller, with a healthy sheen that caught the light perfectly. His blue eyes, once just sharp, now carried a depth that seemed to pull anyone in, as if they could see through souls. His skin was smoother, radiating a subtle glow that made him look almost untouched by the harshness of life. His features, while still the same with his tall, bridged nose and chiseled jawline had become more refined, more sculpted, as if an artist had subtly perfected them overnight. The slight imperfections that once made him handsome had faded, leaving behind a flawless appearance. His muscles, toned but once understated, now seemed more defined, their lines accentuated in a way that made him seem powerful without effort. It wasn''t just his physical appearance that had transformed. There was something intangible in his presence, an aura that radiated from him. It was as though the air around him had shifted, making him seem not just handsome, but untouchable like a celestial being in human form. Alexander Ashbourne had become a man who could command attention without saying a word, and the reflection in the mirror only confirmed it. "This¡ªwhat the hell happened? This is just bringing trouble to myself," Alexander said angrily, staring at his current appearance. "System, what happened? Why do I look different than yesterday?" he asked, anxiety creeping into his voice. [You don''t need to panic or feel troubled, Host. Be happy that you''ve become more handsome! The reason for this change is because of the ''Vital Draw Technique.'' It gradually removes impurities from your body, resulting in your final appearance,] The system explained the process behind Alexander''s transformation. Still unsatisfied, Alexander pressed on. "But when I leveled up, didn''t I already cleanse myself? Why did this happen again?" [Host, leveling up and channeling energy throughout your body are not the same. When you leveled up, it only cleansed you a little, its main function is to increase your stats, not to remove all the impurities. However, channeling energy flows through every inch of your body, from top to bottom, releasing it through your skin, which led to your current situation.] [Do you understand now?] The system finished speaking, Alexander then finally let go and nodded his head. Having a good appearance will be a trouble for him. [Also, you should check your current status you will be surprised] Alexander hearing this was curious, so he quickly opened his stats. Suddenly a panel showing his status appeared. [Status sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 19 Speed: 17 Defense: 18 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 26,400 Pesos Balance: 32,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Alexander was surprised to realize that his strength had rapidly increased just by absorbing energy from the surrounding area. He couldn''t help but nod, feeling that his recent purchases weren''t actually worthless after all. Once he processed everything, he decided to put on some clothes. Since it was Saturday, he had nothing else planned, so he wasted no time in practicing his skills. He began to circulate the ''Vital Draw Technique'' and dove into his training. Outside, in a hospital ward far from Alexander, there was a guy with red hair. His arms were bandaged, and he even had some bandages wrapped around his torso beneath his clothes. His face was swollen, resembling a broken doll, as he glanced at the man standing beside him. The man, who was about 155 cm tall, wore a black suit and had a burn mark on the side of his face. "Did you investigate the kid''s background?" He looked ruthless, exuding a mafia-like aura as he faced one of his followers behind him. His totally different from any other thugs, since he looks more experienced and commanding. The thin assistant, holding a suitcase, quickly replied, "Yes, the kid''s name seems to be Alexander Ashbourne. According to the file, he''s an orphan with no connections. The only reason he was released from the charges is that Valentine from the Lancaster family was involved." Hearing this, the man sneered, madness flickering in his eyes. "That bitch from the Lancaster has no power or connections. I suppose Benjamin interfered to protect the kid," he said, his voice laced with fury. The man behind him nodded his head in agreement, he also know that Valentine did not have those strong connections, "So should we stop pursuing this matter boss? Since Benjamin would retaliate because he was already involving his self" "Stop?" His eyes glint with a ferocious smile. "Who''s afraid of who? We''re going to get our revenge also Benjamin is not even that influential, he only had money while we have fighting power. Tomorrow let''s show him that ''Black Serpent Gang'' is not a gang that cannot be mess with." The man in the black suite said. The patient hearing this was delighted, "Dad if you captured that kid, please don''t kill him. I''ll torture him slowly and then kill him" The red haired patient smiled with cruelty. The person is none other than James the one who Alex had beaten into a pulp, the person in front of him is his father. The current leader of the Black Serpent Gang, his a person that is known for his cruelty in the underworld. Making him feared by many, he does not let go or ignore any kind of grudge that involved their gang reputation especially if it''s his family reputation is on the line. "Don''t worry son I''ll let you torture that kid" The man spoked with a scoff not really putting Alexander in his sight. "But dad he was really strong, even when I bring my buddies armed with weapons, we were no match for him" James spoked, fully irritated on why they still lost. His father smiled and replied full of confidence, "Just rest because that''s up to me if he really had that ability." Hearing his father words James was full of confidence, since he knows how scheming his father is. He know exactly that kid fate is finally doomed now. "This is what you get for offending me" he said inwardly, with his eyes red with ferocity. The man heard in the report that the kid was really strong and even beat up many of his gangs, but they were only at the lower echelon, and also can he dodge guns? I don''t think so. The man then left the ward, accompanied by the guy with the suitcase. Exiting the hospital they got inside into a black sedan car, as the engine roared, they left the place. Back in his apartment, Alexander was blissfully unaware that trouble was approaching. Feeling energetic, he stood up and decided it was time to leave. After cultivating for about six hours, he glanced at the clock and saw it was now 11. Surprisingly, he didn''t feel any sweat instead, he experienced a refreshing sensation with every practice session, almost like being surrounded by snowflakes. It was a bit exaggerated, but it felt close to that. His stats had even increased slightly, boosting his mood. This time, he opted for a pair of shorts and a simple T-shirt before heading out. He was just there to sign some papers and leaved, why need to bother wearing formal dress since he can just sleep there after the signing was finished. He then went out his room and got out of the apartment. Glancing at the time in his phone, he know that his still not late. After calling a taxi he went inside and said to the driver. "To ''Summer Heights'' Uncle" he spoked. "Sure, kid buckle up your seatbelts" he said as he drives through the road. [Notice Author here! I just want to share a few updates. From now on, each chapter will be over 1,500 words, so if you unlock it with a subscription, it will definitely be worth it and not a waste of money. I made it premium to earn, but I also want you to enjoy the story and not feel ripped off with chapters under 1,100 words. If you love the story, I''d really appreciate it if you could leave a review. And if you spot any errors or something you don''t understand, feel free to comment here. That''s all for now. Sincerely yours, The Author. ] Chapter 25 - 25 Meeting Another Beauty The ride was neither fast nor slow, it moved at a steady pace all the way to the city. After crossing the intersection, they continued toward their destination, which was in the mountains but still within the city limits. The taxi driver drove to the entrance, where there was a large gate with security guards stationed. "We''ve arrived, young man," the driver said to Alexander, glancing back. "Thank you, uncle," Alexander replied with a smile, handing over 1,000 pesos for the ride. The driver''s face lit up upon seeing the money. The fare was only 312 pesos, so receiving such a generous tip made him quite happy. "Thanks, young man," the driver said as Alexander stepped out of the car. The taxi drove off, leaving Alexander standing outside the entrance. Two guards were stationed at the gate, and as he approached, one of them stopped him. "Do you have an ID young man?" The security guard asked. The security guard was momentarily stunned by Alexander''s appearance. His sharp, handsome features and piercing gaze showed that he must been trained or molded by some powerful family. Still, no matter how wealthy he might seem, the guard had to do his job. If the young man wasn''t on the entry list, he had no business being here. Besides, the fact that Alexander arrived in a taxi made the guard question his wealth and status even more. Alexander hesitated briefly before handing over his ID to the guard, who passed it to his colleague. The other guard opened a notebook and began flipping through the pages, searching for his name. As he scanned page after page, there was no sign of Alexander''s name. The guard, still checking the book, glanced at his colleague, the one who had received the ID. "Kent, this kid''s not on the list. Give him back his ID," he said, passing back the ID in his hands to Kent. Kent, the security guard, nodded and approached Alexander carrying his ID on his hands. "I believe you heard that. Your name isn''t on the list," he said after completing the inspection, and giving Alexander back his ID. Alexander furrowed his brows, didn''t they made an appointment here how come his name is not there. "Officer, there must be some mistake. I just bought a house here and was about to sign some papers. My name should be on that list," he explained. The two guards exchanged a look before Kent turned back to Alexander and asked respectfully, "Which house did you buy here?" "Evercrest Manor. I got a call last night, and our meeting is supposed to be here," Alexander replied, his expression calm and unchanged. The two guards exchanged shocked glances. ''Evercrest Manor?'' That property had been vacant for years, with rumors swirling that the owner refused to sell. Yet, they hadn''t received any notice from their superiors about someone purchasing the place. Kent the guard who was still feeling skeptical, asked again, "Are you sure it''s that place? Even some rich people can''t afford it." Alexander still patiently replied to him, "Yes, I''m sure. Why don''t you call your superiors for some checking" Kent who was still unsure, pulled out his walkie-talkie as the call was connected, he explained the situation. The chief of security, realizing that this person might be the new owner of Evercrest Manor, and quickly understood his mistake. He immediately gave instructions to his team and relayed this news to the executive who was standing and waiting outside the manor gate. "Ma''am, I received the call that the owner is outside the entrance gate" he said to the person. The woman who heard this furrowed her brows. "Didn''t I tell you to put his name on the entry list? Don''t tell me you forgot," she muttered sharply. The middle-aged man quickly looked away, avoiding her piercing angry gaze. "You did tell me, but when you asked me to drive you here, I forgot to pass it on to my people" he said, his voice fading as he finished speaking. The beautiful woman''s anger flared, but she quickly regained control and instructed, "Take me back to the entrance." The middle-aged man nodded, the chief of security, quickly opened the car door for the woman, who stepped inside. He then took the driver''s seat and quickly drove back to the gate. After a few moments, they arrived, and the gate was open. She saw that Alexander was standing there, being assisted by the two security guards. The car came to a stop just a few meters in front of them, and the chief hurriedly opened the back door. As the woman stepped out gracefully, Alexander was taken aback to see another beauty. Standing at about 5''8" with an elegant presence, the woman exuded a blend of professionalism and allure. Her long, blonde hair cascaded in soft waves down to her shoulders, gleaming in the light with a golden sheen that framed her face perfectly. Her complexion was flawless, smooth and radiant, with a hint of a natural glow, the kind that made her seem effortlessly poised. Her eyes, a striking shade of pale blue, were sharp yet inviting, conveying a sense of intelligence and confidence. Subtle yet expertly applied makeup enhanced her high cheekbones and full lips, which were painted in a soft, nude pink, adding just the right amount of color to her otherwise polished appearance. Dressed in a fitted, tailored blazer of dark charcoal, the jacket hugged her slim waist and broad shoulders, enhancing her hourglass figure without losing its professional edge. Underneath, she wore a crisp, white blouse tucked neatly into a high-waisted pencil skirt that ended just above her knees, showcasing her long, toned legs. The skirt, also charcoal, allowed her to move with grace, each step confident and purposeful, her black heels adding height and accentuating her poised posture. Her outfit was finished with simple gold jewelry a delicate necklace and a matching bracelet that shimmered with every movement. Everything about her appearance was flawless, from the clean lines of her clothes to the sharp professionalism in her expression. She was the perfect blend of business savvy and effortless beauty, the kind of person who could close deals with ease and attract attention without even trying. Alexander first though that this beauty in front of him is comparable to Valentine his boss, they looked matured and sexy specially their long legs and big breast. "What the hell am I thinking?" Alexander frowned, but his expression stoic as ever. "The mind is the root of all evil" Ahh mind. The feeling Alexander had was not that of lust but pure admiration. The woman, surprised by the appearance of the person who had purchased the manor, took a moment to assess him. He was, in fact, a remarkably handsome young man. She could sense that he was different from anyone else she had met, his aura exuding a hint of mystery and elegance. As she noticed his gaze lingering on her, she did not feel uncomfortable but only a genuine curiosity. This normal look surprised her, raising her eyebrows in intrigue. Unlike many men she had encountered, who often looked at her lewdly despite their gentlemanly behavior, Alexander''s expression was refreshingly respectful. Having studied psychology, she was skilled at reading people''s expressions based on their movements and expression. However, the man in front of her was neither nonchalant nor stoic, making him unreadable. "Apologies, esteemed sir. my subordinates forgot to include your name on the list, which caused you to wait here for a moment. I will discipline him when this is done" the woman said with a polite smile, with a hint of forgiveness in his tone. The middle-aged man on the back began to sweat hearing this, he was really now in great trouble. Alexander didn''t take it to heart, understanding that the guards were simply doing their jobs. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don''t mention it miss, well you''ve arrived so it''s good" he replied, waving his hand dismissively. The woman smiled and she passed the black file in her left hand, and then offered a handshake with his right hand. Alexander also shook his hands to finish the greetings. The middle-aged man sighed in relief when he saw that Alexander wasn''t offended at all. He silently thanked him for being so forgiving. "I''m Jessica Rivera, a Sales Director responsible for this deal. Get in the car first and I will show you where the manor is located" Jessica suggested. There was no communication during the travel since Alexander closed his eyes, wondering about what his mission going to be. Jessica, who was just beside him, look at him who closed his eyes. "Is my charm gone?" she mumbled, her brows furrowed in confusion. She didn''t dwell on the thought much, as they had just arrived outside the magnificent manor. The gate before them was an exquisite masterpiece, crafted from gleaming white metal, adorned with intricate patterns that curled and twisted like vines in bloom. Beyond the gate, two vigilant guards stood at attention. When the guards saw the car approaching, they opened the gate and allowed it to pass through, recognizing who was inside. The vehicle came to a stop outside the entrance of the grand manor. Beside the white circular driveway, the lush green lawn added to the natural and serene atmosphere. Everyone got out of the car, and Jessica moved to Alexander''s side. "I''ll be guiding you around, so try not to get lost. This place is a lot bigger than you''d expect," Jessica said to Alexander with a playful smile. Alexander just smiled from this, his looks and smiled was radiating like that of a sun truly captivating Jessica for a moment. "Jessica act like a proffessional" Jessica said angrily towards herself. [Author here. Please support me with spirit stones if you loved the story :D ] Chapter 26 - 26 A Grand Tour "Welcome to the grand entrance hall, beautiful, isn''t it?" Jessica said with a smile. Alexander did not say anything yet but inspect at the place, there was a massive, double-height entrance with intricate marble floors, a grand staircase, and crystal chandeliers hanging at the top. "Indeed" He replied, with pure appreciation in his gaze. Going inside the place it was so big and massive, he was then taken by Jessica explaining everything acting like a tour guide. "These are the living spaces, we have multiple of this living rooms each furnished with luxury couches, designed furniture''s and state of the art entertainment systems" she said with a smile. "Also, this manor consists of 20 bedrooms, each bedroom would be large, with ensuite bathrooms and private balconies greatly offering views" she continued to explain. "For the bathrooms, we have over 25, each featuring marble finishes, soaking tubs, walk-in showers, heated floors, and high-end fixtures." They continued down the hallway and arrived at a door that stood out from the rest. Jessica opened it, revealing a spacious room filled with various luxurious furnishings and intriguing items. "This is the Master Suite, the master bedroom with your own private living area, office, spa bathroom, walk in closets and a private terrace view" As she gestured Alexander to take a look. As Alexander inspected the place, he was genuinely surprised by its beauty. This was the first time he truly understood how remarkable it was to live in such luxury. Having a house like this felt like a blessing beyond imagination. However, his face remained impassive, showing no hint of emotion. Despite his unchanged expression, his mind couldn''t help but be in awe of the grandeur surrounding him. "Too much for being the second lowest price," he thought to himself. The two of them then went into another room it was a place where lots of books and shelves. "This is the library it is lined with shelves and high-end desks. The books you can find here were all placed by a famous librarian, feel free to explore if you want to" As she showed the place. Moving onto another place she took him to another floor by climbing up the grand stair. She then revealed Alexander a luxurious nestled on a serene hillside, where it greatly blends in modern time that greatly meets the tranquility of nature. As twilight descends, the house comes alive with a warm, inviting glow from its expansive glass windows. The interior lights cast a soft, golden hue, illuminating the sleek, contemporary design within. An infinity edge pool stretches out towards the horizon, its vanishing edge blending seamlessly with the distant landscape. The water appears to merge with the sky, creating an endless expanse of blue that invites anyone to lose their self in its beauty. Steppingstones were elegantly placed in the section of the pool, offering a path to a secluded lounge area where you can unwind and soak in the breathtaking views. Adjacent to this aquatic masterpiece, a cascading waterfall flows from an elevated pool, its gentle sound adding to the serene ambiance. The water tumbles gracefully over smooth stones, creating a mesmerizing display that captures the essence of tranquility. The outdoor area is like the sanctuary of relaxation, with lush greenery and carefully placed lighting, enhancing the natural beauty of the surroundings. This view is so grand that it is a perfect blend of luxury and nature, a place where modern design and the timeless allure of water come together to create an unforgettable experience. It''s a haven for Alexander who lives in a fucking apartment. The manor exuded both elegance and grandeur, a place where every detail was meticulously crafted to create a sense of harmony. "Is this even still a house?" he retorted in his mind. The place felt like a paradise. As they moved to the next area, Jessica showed him the private spa, complete with saunas, steam rooms, massage rooms, and a hot tub. It even had an indoor swimming pool, offering ultimate relaxation. The things that is even more shocking is that inside the manor. There are full sized outdoor courts for tennis, basketball, volleyball, or even multi-purpose sports area. Moving into another place it has its own state-of-the-art home theater with recliner chairs, a massive screen, Dolby Atmos sound system, and custom lighting for a cinematic experience. "This is a damn theater" He cursed inwardly. This is the first time he saw a house, that was actually has its own theater. In another room besides the theater, there was also a gym, and a fitness center equipped with the latest exercise machines, free weights and yoga areas. The Manor also had a wine Cellar with its own tasting room, that is capable of storing thousands of bottles of rare and vintage wine. It even has its own nightclub or bar area with luxury seating, a DJ booth, and a bar fully stocked with top-shelf liquor. This space could actually be served as a private entertainment area for parties. As the door swung open, a realm of gaming room unfolds towards him. The room was bathed in a soft, ambient glow from RGB LED strips that lined the walls, pulsating in sync with the beat of a game soundtrack. A massive curved ultra-wide monitor dominated the center of the space, its stunning 4K resolution offering crystal-clear visuals that made every pixel come to life. Beneath the monitor, a sleek mechanical keyboard with customizable backlighting awaited, each key responding with satisfying clicks that promised an exhilarating gaming experience. To the side, an ergonomic gaming chair, clad in breathable mesh and leather accents, stood poised for long hours of immersive play. The chair was perfectly positioned at a polished, custom-built desk made of dark hardwood, adorned with cable management solutions that kept the workspace tidy. A powerful gaming PC, a true beast of a machine, sat proudly on the desk, its tempered glass side panel revealing a dazzling array of high-performance components multi-colored fans whirring softly and a liquid cooling system glowing like a work of art. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Surrounding the desk were wall-mounted shelves displaying an impressive collection of gaming memorabilia figurines of beloved characters, limited edition games, and framed artwork. A state-of-the-art sound system filled the room with rich, immersive audio, while a VR headset rested nearby, ready for the next adventure into virtual realms. The carpet was plush underfoot, muffling any sound and enhancing the sense of escapism. A mini fridge tucked in the corner stocked with energy drinks and snacks provided the perfect fuel for marathon gaming sessions. The room was not just a gaming space it was a sanctuary for every gamer''s dream a place where reality faded away, and the adventures of countless worlds awaited. The best part is there was not only a gaming room the place was also equipped with billiards, poker tables, arcade machines and other forms of entertainment. Alexander was not really gamer but seeing this made his heart palpitate, if any other gaming fanatic will be here, they will go crazy just to live here. Jessica, standing beside him, noticed his unchanging expression. Despite the grandeur of everything around them, his face remained calm and indifferent. She couldn''t help but admire him, she knew that even she wouldn''t be able to keep such composure if she lived in a place like this. "Now that we''re done with the inside, it''s time to see the outside," Jessica said, clapping her hands with a smile. Alexander brows furrowed, "There''s more?" as Jessica lead the way out. Arriving at the backdoor. For the outdoor spaces there''s at least an expansive garden with fountains, sculpture and flower beds, that is professionally maintained with paths leading to various parts of the villa. It has its own outdoor kitchen or BBQ area for dining, complete with large dining table, grills and a pizza oven. He even spotted a private helipad for helicopter landings, making the manor accessible by air. This manor even had a small airstrip for private jets. They then went underground, that''s right there''s an underground road leading to a 20-car garage, it even has its own state of the art security, it has luxury flooring, and the most eye catching is that it even has its own rotating platform for showcasing exotic cars. it did not end there yet, after getting out Jessica took him to another place. It was a luxurious guest house that is separated from the main villa, to accommodate additional guests or even staff. He was also taken to a quarter for staff housing. It is an accommodation for the villa''s staff, including butlers, chefs, cleaners, and gardeners, ensuring the estate is always perfectly maintained. But right now, his manor was like a ghost house because there''s no one inside. After returning inside the manor, the two of them sat down in the living room. Though not truly exhausted, Alexander gave off the appearance of being tired it was more a reflection of how overwhelmingly large the manor was. "Dang, just how big is this place? I think it took like an hour just to get from one area to another," Alexander said in astonishment. He had finally reached his limit with how massive the estate was. It felt less like a house and more like a small city, equipped with everything he could possibly imagine. Jessica seating at the couch also began to explain about something related to the manor. "This manor also had its own Smart Home Technology, like smart home systems, allowing voice-activated control of lights, temperature, security, and more. I''ll give you an example" "Lights off" She spoked a little loud. Then the lights in the living turned off, Alexander was surprised it has this kind of advance system. "Turn on the lights, also the TV" She commanded yet again. Then the lights were on and even the TV was powered on showing a celebrity with red hair, that''s none other than Bini Mikha. Jessica then looked at him with a smile but there''s no surprised at all making her still surprised. "But what would happen if there were strangers? Don''t they also have access to the manor?" he asked, he was surprised but isn''t this also dangerous? Jessica smiled in response. "Don''t worry for it has its own voice recognition system. My voice is registered, so it listens to me. After signing the contract, only you will have this access." Hearing this, Alexander nodded, clearly satisfied with the answer. He then asked another question. "How big is this area? and also what is the size of this manor?" He was really curious rather than calculating in his mind. Jessica smiled warmly, clearly used to this question. "The entire estate spans around 20 hectares, which is about 200,000 square meters," she explained, gesturing slightly about the vast expanse of land. "As for the manor itself, it covers approximately 10,000 square meters. It''s one of the largest properties in the region, offering both luxury and space." Alexander hearing this nodded his head, digesting the information. "So, you want to sign the papers now?" Jessica said. "Sure" Alexander replied since he had nothing to ask anymore. Jessica dressed in a professional attire, handed Alexander a sleek black folder. "Mr. Alexander, for buying this Manor this is really a great honor for choosing us. All you need to do is sign this contract, and the property is yours." Alexander took the paper and with just a sign he was now the owner. Jessica then left the place after giving Alexander the deed of ownership. Chapter 27 - 27 Call to Play Left alone in the vast manor, Alexander found himself with nothing to do, but something caught his attention. The energy in this place was incredibly dense. From the moment he stepped inside, he felt the surrounding energy being absorbed into his body. He was certain that if he trained here for just one more day, his strength would increase again. "If I cultivate for just one more day, my strength will grow by 5 points," Alexander said with a smile, excitement clear on his face. "But why is the energy so abundant here? Back at my apartment, it''s much scarcer," Alexander wondered, deep in thought. "Could it be because this place is in the mountains?" he pondered, raising his eyebrows. It seemed like the most logical explanation. Without knowing whether his theory was true or not, he made his way down the hallway and arrived at the master bedroom. The Manor was large, but Alexander had already memorized the layout of the entire place, so he did not get lost. Thanks to the increase in his stats, Alexander noticed a boost in his intelligence as well. After entering the room, he sat on the king-sized bed, crossing his legs. White streams of energy began swirling around him, and with every passing second, minute, and hour, he could feel his power growing. His breathing quickened, but not a drop of sweat formed on his skin. His mind remained focused, his face calm as he continued on his path without disturbance. He felt at one with the world, while his consciousness awakening within him. Everything around him was pitch black, with the white energy serving as the only light in the darkness. Far away from Alexander, in a dark alley, there stood a bar guarded by several men with large, muscular builds. Their bodies were covered in tattoos, and their faces were as fierce as lions. Inside, in the underground section of the bar, two men sat at a table, while two women attended to a middle-aged man, massaging him or offering him drinks. The man had a burn mark on his face and was short in stature, but his height was not to be underestimated. His accomplishments were far more impressive than anyone might assume at first glance. The man was none other than James''s father, sipping wine served by a young woman in a sleeveless black dress. He glanced at his thin assistant standing quietly in across the table him. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So, how did it go?" James''s father asked, looking at the assistant. The assistant adjusted his glasses slightly before replying, "He took the call, boss. He said he''d be here tomorrow, but¡­" His voice trailed off. "But what" Jonathan said hearing the suspense at the end. "He''ll only accept if you pay him 1 billion pesos to take action," the thin assistant said. Jonathan furrowed his brows, closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again. "I see. Tell him we''ll agree," he replied. The assistant was stunned that his boss accepted such an outrageous deal. "Boss, isn''t that amount a bit excessive? He''s just a fighter. Why are we paying him so much?" he asked, his expression was so confused, about what made the old man worth a billion. Like an old man who''s a fighter? What happens if he has a backache during a fight? Isn''t that just throwing away money instead of saving it for future use? Jonathan looked at his confused expression feeling amused, "Ethan there''s a lot of things you don''t know from this world there are people that is different than normal" he explained. Ethan his assistant was even more confused, "What do you mean different than normal?" "You''ll understand tomorrow what I mean. Just tell him we''re happy to accept his offer," Jonathan said, a wide smile arching across his face. Ethan grew curious about who this old man could be, but knowing he''d find out tomorrow, his questions would soon be answered. He walked out to relay his boss''s message to the old man via a phone call. Jonathan took another sip of his wine, confident that victory was within reach now that he had a grandmaster on his side. "Benjamin, this time you''re going to lose big," he said, finishing with a laugh. He then pinned the woman who was serving him with fine wine to the couch, tearing off her dress, revealing her cleavage before taking her forcefully. "Master, be gentle" The lady said, her voice was flirtatious. "Woman you''re playing with fire" as he ravaged her. The room then was filled with sounds unsuitable for minors. The next day passed, and as the sun bathed the manor in light, Alexander remained in bed, deeply focused on his cultivation. Suddenly, the sunlight streamed across his face, rousing him from his slumber. As he opened his eyes, his blue pupils sparkled with radiant energy. He took a deep breath through his nostrils, then rose from the bed and began to stretch. "System show me my status" Alexander mumbled. [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 26 Speed: 23 Defense: 24 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 46,200 Pesos Balance: 32,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Seeing this, Alexander realized his strength had increased fivefold. Back in the apartment, it would have only increased by 2 or 3, but the energy in this place was far superior. Not only had his strength improved, but his speed and defense had also seen a slight boost. Just then, his phone rang with a familiar number. He picked it up and pressed it to his ear. "Alexander, do you want to join us? Sophie and I are going shopping and then hitting the arcade. Want to play?" the girl''s voice asked from the other end. "Sure, I''d be glad to," Alexander nodded in response. "Hurry up and get here! We''re at Robinson''s. Be fast!" she urged. "Okay, I''ll go right away," Alexander replied, realizing he had nothing else planned. Enjoying the day sounded like a great idea. He took a quick shower in his bathroom, drying himself off with a towel in no time. Then he put on a black tank top and matching shorts that showcased his muscles. He looked like a figure carved from a painting; the simple clothes he wore were elevated by his temperament and demeanor, greatly enhancing his appearance. The saying "clothes make the man" didn''t apply to Alexander at all. As he exited the manor, the two guards quickly opened the gate and greeted him with a respectful "Good morning." Alexander responded respectfully and walked down the path, which was lined with many houses leading to various villas and small manors. After making his way down, he arrived at the gate and saw the familiar face of the security guard named Kent. He walked over to him. Seeing Alexander who was coming to him, Kent quickly opened the entrance gate and said, "Sorry about yesterday I didn''t know," feeling embarrassed, remembering yesterday and also afraid of offending a big shot. Alexander waved it off with a smile. "There''s nothing wrong with what you did. You were just doing your job." The security guard sighed in relief. Alexander, noticing the lack of taxis around, found himself in a dilemma, unsure if any would come down this road. "Are there any taxis that come through here?" Alexander asked Kent. Hearing this question Kent was stunned, "Does he not have the car" he asked inwardly filled with confusion. "No, actually, you''re the first person to arrive in a taxi here. Most owners come in Maseratis, Ferraris, or other expensive cars. You''re really a low-profile young master," Kent said, mistakenly assuming Alexander was a modest kind of rich guy. "Low profile, my ass," Alexander thought to himself. "But how can I get a ride to leave this place?" Alexander asked. Kent smiled at this and replied, "I can give you a ride, young master. We have a black car from the company right over there, if you want me I can take you to your destination." Hearing this Alexander was surprised, "Aren''t you working right now" he spoked inquiringly. "Actually, young master, you''re special because you''ve bought the most expensive manor. We''ve been instructed to assist you in any way we can. So, what do you say?" Kent asked. Worried about wasting more time since Claire and Sophie were waiting for him, Alexander replied, "Okay, then take me to Robinson. I have an appointment with a friend." "Sure, young master," Kent said as he drove the car out from the display area in the parking lot. He pulled the car out, and Alexander settled into the backseat. "We''re on our way now, young master," Kent informed him from the front. Alexander felt uncomfortable with the term "young master." "Just call me Alexander; no need for formalities," he said. Kent was stunned and found himself in a dilemma. "Young master, I¡ª" Seeing the troubled expression on Kent''s face in the rearview mirror, Alexander sighed and added, "You can call me whatever you want if that makes you more comfortable." Kent sighed in relief. "Thank you, young master" Kent understood that his status was low, and addressing a rich person by their name without any title could cost him his job. So, he felt grateful for Alexander''s respectful attitude. Chapter 28 - 28 Youre Playing With Fire As he got in the car, Alexander thought that buying a car was important. "Another grind, I suppose," he said to himself. The car drove down the path leading to the city. After a few minutes, they finally arrived and the car traveled for a while, finally arriving at the large mall named ''Robinson''. "Young master, we have arrived," Kent said, looking back. Alexander nodded and took something out of his pocket money, about 5,000 pesos, giving it to Kent. Seeing the large sum of money, Kent was stunned. "Young master, this..." he said, glancing at the cash with a shocked face. Alexander just smiled at his expression. "Take it, consider it as a gift of mine for your service. You can''t say no," he said, taking no as an answer. Kent was reluctant at first but accepted the money. This money was small to Alexander, but for Kent, it was a lifesaver. His mother was sick and needed to buy some medicine. "Thank you, young master," Kent said, accepting the money. "You''re welcome. I''m off now," Alexander said, patting Kent on the shoulder. He then got out of the car, and Kent, in the driver''s seat, bid him farewell and thanked Alexander again. Outside the mall, many girls, seeing Alexander, were shocked. This was their first time seeing such a handsome male, that is tall and had a muscular build. Alexander, feeling the gazes of the women in the mall like wolves wanting to eat him, made him sighed. "This is really a great problem," Alexander said as he went inside the mall. Everywhere he walked, he was the center of attention. He was like a celebrity, famous throughout his country, as people looked at him with admiration. He then took out his cellphone and called Claire, asking for their current location. Claire replied that they were just on the second floor, near a clothing shop. Alexander nodded and took an escalator. Arriving at the location, he searched his gaze at the place and found Claire, beside her was the chief''s daughter, Sophie. He then waved his hands up, making him be spotted by the girls. Then the three of them were finally together. "Alexander, what took you so long? Isn''t your apartment just close to the mall?" she said, not knowing why it took him over 30 minutes to come. "Sorry, I wasn''t at home when you called me," he replied, with a forgiving tone. "Hmph, if you say so, I''ll forgive you this time," Claire said with her arms on her hips, she''s a like a girlfriend being angry at his boyfriend. Sophie, seeing the two interact, understood that their relationship must have improved, making them buddies in just a span of five days. Claire was wearing a long-sleeve hoodie that reaches over his hips. The hoodie features a striking graphic design with various white texts and illustrations, including stars and a shield or crest, all set against a dark background. For the bottom she''s wearing a loose-fitting cargo pants with large side pockets, which are solid-colored and match the dark tone of the hoodie. She looks like a tomboy in style, besides her is none other than Sophie. Sophie was standing full of youthful grace, her short black hair cut just above her chin in a sleek, simple style that frames her soft, heart-shaped face. Her deep brown eyes hold a quiet innocence, reflecting her youth and giving her an approachable, fresh-faced beauty. Her complexion is smooth and radiant, with a natural glow that complements her unadorned features, making her appear effortlessly pretty, like a maiden still in the bloom of youth. She is dressed in a sleeveless, skater-style dress, the fitted bodice hugging her slim frame before flaring into a gently swaying skirt. The navy-blue color of the dress contrasts beautifully with her fair skin, and its smooth, medium-weight fabric moves gracefully with her as she sways, the hem of the dress sitting just above her knees. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a round neckline and a concealed zipper at the back, the simple yet elegant design of the dress gives her an air of a simple yet elegant girl. "So where do you two want to play?" Alexander asked, looking for their suggestions. "Didn''t we say we are going to shop? Let''s go now," Claire declared, pointing towards the clothing shop as they started walking. Sophie, who was beside her, whispered in her ear, "Claire, can you not be so loud? So many people are looking at us." Claire then shifted her view and saw that many gazes were landing on them. "Just let them be, it''s not our fault we''re beautiful," she said with confidence as her hair flutter. The spectators, hearing this, were speechless. There was only one word in their minds "Shameless." But she really had the ability to back it up. Sophie just shook her head in dismay. She then slowed down and arrived at Alexander''s side. "So how was your first week of working at the restaurant, Alexander?" Sophie said, with her eyes looking at him. She felt that Alexander had undergone some changes from the last time she saw him. He was beyond handsome, but now there was some kind of force or demeanor that made Alexander more appealing to the eye. "Oh, actually, it''s the best, though. Not only is the salary big, the work isn''t even actually that hard. What about you? You''re actually amazing, though. Balancing work in the restaurant and being a tutor after that is impressive," Alexander said with full amazement. Sophie just smiled from the compliment, "It''s actually not that great though, since I''m not the only who can do this." she stated making a point. "But still, that''s them and you''re you. From my perspective, you are much more amazing," Alexander said seriously. He had worked hard for all of his life, so he knew how hard it is to manage time. In the restaurant, he could see that there were a lot of customers and only her and her father were the cooks. If that wasn''t enough, she even had the strength to continue with her tutoring, showing how truly dedicated she was. "What are you two talking about?" Claire, in front of the two of them, asked since she was left out. "Nothing, just some casual conversation," Sophie replied with a slight smile. Claire didn''t say anything more and finally, they arrived at the clothing shop. It was filled with girly clothes, and Claire began to try all of them. She also tried to find clothes that were perfect for Sophie, by making her try out the dresses and clothes that she picked up. "Claire, you don''t need to let me try out the clothes since I''m not going to buy it," Sophie said, feeling embarrassed. "Who said you are going to pay? Don''t worry, let your good sister help you out," Claire said with a smile. "But this isn''t right," Sophie was about to decline, but Claire interjected directly. "Were sisters, this is what should I do or are you saying we are not?" She said with brows furrowed, her gaze is questioning. "Of course, we are, but-" Sophie didn''t finish her sentence when Claire already spoke. "Then that''s good, I''m going to buy some clothes for you," Claire spoke with stars in her eyes as she went from every part of the clothing shop to make Sophie try it. Alexander, who was following the two, was tired mentally. They were already in this clothing shop for an hour. "Woman who are in shopping sprees are really scary," Alexander spoke inwardly, his hand already filled with a stack of clothes and dresses from Claire. "I think that''s about it" Claire said, "What about you Alexander, do you have any clothes that you like?" she asked. "Nope I do not, let''s just go and pay this" Alexander relayed his answer. "Suit yourself then" They then paid the bill that cost around 10,000 pesos worth of clothing. Alexander now was carrying a lot of clothing bags on his hands as they walked outside the clothing shop. Finally, they went into the arcade. "Alexander, since you have been carrying the clothing bags for a while now, I will give you the honor of choosing a game," she said, pointing at every arcade game. He nodded since he wants to enjoy his day as he tries to find something that was girly since he wanted the two to enjoy as well. Looking at the right side, close to the wall, he spotted a crane game. "What about that" Alexander pointed at the machine, where you insert a coin to control a mechanical claw, which you maneuver to try and grab a prize. The prizes were some cute stuffed toys that were so girly and cute. Claire face become distorted and disgusted, "That game is for girls. What about that, let''s go," she declined as she walked to a shooting game. Alexander''s face grew some black lines, but he still followed her. "If you want to play that game, why did you ask my opinion in the first place?" he said with a sullen face. Sophie, beside them, just giggled at their interaction. Claire then bought some coins, spending 1,000 pesos without batting an eye. "It really feels good to be rich" Alexander said inwardly. "But aren''t I''m also rich?" he continued. They then went to an empty slot of the machine game it was a large, high-definition flat screen that displays the game environment and targets. The screen is usually mounted at eye level for easy viewing. it has it''s own gun controller a replica of a firearm, often with realistic weight and feel. It even have it''s own buttons and triggers to shoot and reload, and sometimes even recoil feedback to simulate the feel of firing a real gun. The game is housed in a sturdy cabinet that supports the screen and gun controllers. It was also accompanied by a high-quality speaker providing an immersive sound effects, including gunfire, explosions, and character dialogue. Standing at the empty slot, Claire looked at Alexander, filled with competitiveness. "Let''s have a challenge. If you win, I will do anything you say, but if I win, you''ll listen to everything I said," she said playfully. Alexander was about to accept when Sophie, behind him, warned, "Alexander, don''t. She''s a professional shooter. She even ranked first in this place. Look at the leaderboards on the screen over there." He then gazed at the screen and saw a name in first place ''SailorMoon''. He then looked back at Claire''s proud face. "What a childish name" he said inwardly but did not blurt it out. "Is that yours?" Alexander asked, pointing at the screen that was hanging up. "Of course it''s mine, what now are you scared?" She said trying to provoke Alexander. Alexander just smiled mischievously, "girl you''re playing with fire" he said inwardly. "Who''s afraid of who" he said accepting the challenge. Chapter 29 - 29 Game on Seeing the confidence in Alexander''s face, Claire couldn''t help but laugh, as if she had already won. "I can''t wait to see the look on your face when you taste this young lady''s prowess," she imagined Alexander''s look after losing, making her giggle. "Yeah, yeah. So, what are the rules?" Alexander asked, wanting to stop her arrogant behavior. "Are you so excited to lose?" Claire pursed her lips, feeling amused. "Alright then, these are the rules of the game. We''ll each have 10 coins to play, and the highest score wins," Claire said, flashing a grin. Alexander didn''t see anything wrong with the rules, so he decided to play her game. He was confident, of course. "So, can you give me an introduction on how to play this game first?" Alexander said with a blank and emotionless expression. Hearing this Claire could not hold her laugher, she let out a giggle that sounded like a string of tiny bells, her eyes twinkling with mischief. It was a laugh that could melt the coldest heart, a sound that promised pure joy and unadulterated happiness. But to Alexander, it was a laugh of mockery. He only quirked a smile, letting her enjoy the moment. Claire, however, was still laughing, even holding her stomach as a tear escaped her eye. "Are you done?" Alexander said, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I''m done," Claire said, readjusting herself, but a few giggles still escaped her lips. Sophie, seeing this, felt bad for Alexander. "If you don''t know how to play, why did you accept the challenge?" Her lips twitched, but she only said this in her mind. "Okay, now I''m going to explain it to you in beginner terms. This game is called ''Project: Z-Zero''. It''s a game where you shoot zombies and gain power-ups when you kill a lot of them. So, first, you drop a coin, then you pick up this toy gun. There''s a wire attached to this magazine, which acts as a connector, so the indicator moves and you watch it," Claire said, picking up the toy gun with wires attached, moving it upside down. The screen showed a crosshair moving, indicating where the bullets would be fired. "When you fire the gun 10 times, it will reload for 2 seconds, then you can shoot again. You only have 3 minutes before the game ends, so you''ll have to insert another coin for the character to move again for 3 minutes. Remember, you have to insert the coin after 1 minute has passed, or it will restart, and you''ll lose your score." "But we''re not going to play that kind of game. We''ll play the 20-minute game challenge. As you can see on the leaderboard over there, there are 10, 20, and 30-minute challenges. It depends on the player what challenge they want to play. You can even see my name on every challenge there," she said triumphantly, a victorious smile appearing on her face. "Oh," Alexander said, a single word indicating his understanding. "What''s with that look of yours?" she said scornfully. "Let''s see if you''ll have that expression when you lose miserably," she said smugly. "Now let''s start the challenge. Sophie, you''ll act as the referee and the witness of this challenge. If I lose, then I''ll do what he does, and if I win, he''ll do what he does," Claire said, looking back towards Sophie. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sure, I''ll act as the witness of your match. Whoever loses and doesn''t take their words will be deemed a loser forever," Sophie said, resigned to her fate as the referee between these two. Then the battle began. Claire inserted all of the coins and navigated to the 20-minute challenge. Alexander did the same, inserting all of his coins. Claire grabbed the gun, and the level started. Gruesome-faced zombies appeared, and she expertly controlled the gun, firing at their heads. The gun on the screen moved, creating a blue light ray that hit the zombies'' heads, killing them instantly and earning her 10 points. She didn''t stop there. She maneuvered the gun in her palm, shooting every zombie that appeared. Her movements were precise, hitting the zombies directly in the head. The zombies moved slowly, so before they could take a few steps, they were already dead. Alexander watched Claire play from the side, his gaze fixed on her serious face. He was so engrossed in watching her that he didn''t realize his own game had already started and a zombie was already biting his character. "Umm, Alexander, you''re being bitten!" Sophie exclaimed, unable to hold back her reminder. Alexander was stunned by Sophie''s words. He quickly grabbed the gun and fired at the zombie that was biting his player''s arm. The bullet hit the zombie''s head, killing it instantly. He earned 10 points. Seeing Alexander''s foolish actions, Claire couldn''t help but laugh. Victory felt assured. Her points had already reached 300, while Alexander was stuck at a measly 30. Alexander, struggling to control the gun, couldn''t hit the zombies that were further away. He tried to center the crosshair on their heads, but the recoil was so strong, making him miss. After 5 minutes had passed, some zombies had even approached Alexander and bitten his arms. His health was reduced to just 1, putting him at risk of losing if he were bitten again. On the other hand, Claire''s character still had full health. Upon reaching the maximum points, she unleashed a skill that turned her gun into a machine gun, unleashing a barrage of bullets at the zombies. Their speed increased as time went on, but Claire remained unfazed, showing no signs of stress on her face. Claire was so engrossed in her game that she had no time to spare for Alexander. Meanwhile, Sophie, standing behind them, glanced between Alexander''s screen and Claire''s. The difference between the two was like night and day. Alexander''s score was only 180, while Claire had already reached 770. The difference in score was immense, compounded by the fact that Alexander only had 1 health left. As the zombies closed in on him, Alexander shot at their heads and took down multiple zombies in one swift motion. "Now I''ve got the hang of it," he exclaimed, flashing a grin. A few minutes earlier, he had experimented with different ways to hold the gun properly. He discovered that even a slight lift caused the crosshair to move too high, and the slightest movement shifted the crosshair significantly. After some practice, Alexander mastered the gun. His aim had improved, and he had learned to handle the recoil. With just one shot, he adjusted for the slight bend caused by the recoil, effortlessly lowering the gun and firing again as if there was no recoil at all. The zombies rushing towards him were swiftly taken down, turning into experience points. As he reached the maximum points, he activated a random skill that granted him dual-wielding guns. It is a two MP5s, one in each hand, their compact frames buzzing with suppressed fire. He aimed it with a deadly grace, a blur of motion and lead. The weight of the rifles felt reassuring in his character hands, since it allowed him to fire with pinpoint accuracy. The wave of zombies appeared, running wildly. Some wore armor, shields, and there was even a fast-running zombie dog. However, with the gun in his hands, no zombie could get close to Alexander. Every shot he took was a precise hit to the head. He aimed at the endless stream of zombies approaching, earning points with each precise shot. Meanwhile, Sophie looked solemn, her brows furrowed in a serious expression. The difficulty level had increased significantly. The zombies were much tougher, wearing armor and helmets, and their speed had increased drastically. Her aim wavered because she could only kill them by targeting the neck or body, as they swarmed from every direction, earning her only half the points. Sometimes, she was even bitten by dog zombies that appeared unexpectedly, causing her to lose health. With five minutes remaining until the challenge ended, the zombies became even stronger, their defenses increasing to the point where even headshots required at least three hits to eliminate them. Alexander remained calm, gripping the gun in his hand as he skillfully shot down the zombies without letting a single one escape his sight. Every shot was aimed at the head, swiftly taking them down, even those who were fast enough to evade others were still shot. Sophie standing behind, unable to hide her amazement as her eyes blinked rapidly in disbelief. Just moments ago, Alexander was on the verge of losing, yet now he managed to survive with only 1 health remaining, showcasing his true skills. His movements were precise, his so focus and his eyes is so captivating. Sophie couldn''t help but be momentarily entranced, her cheeks flushing before settling into deep contemplation. She was curious if Alexander had tricked Claire, trapping her from imposing a condition on the game. His carefree demeanor suggested that the challenge wasn''t particularly difficult for him. Shifting her gaze to Sophie, she observed her struggling to keep up with the relentless zombies. Even with a 15-second power-up, it was still a struggle to slow them down. Finally, after 20 minutes, the game ended. Claire breathed a sigh of relief and a proud look was spreading across her face as she checked her score. It was ''5732'', a total that surpassed her previous score by over 200 points, demonstrating her improvement. She glanced at Alexander, knowing she had won, only to find him standing behind her, feeling amused in his eyes as he observed her score. "Don''t tell me you lost so early that you came to watch me play," she said, a smug smile playing on her lips. "It''s okay to lose, Alexander. There''s still room for improvement," Claire said, her voice dripping with playful teasing. But when she met his gaze, it felt like he was looking at an idiot. Shifting her eyes towards Sophie, she saw a sly smile arching across her lips. A wave of fear washed over Claire, chilling her to the bone. "That''s impossible for him to win," she scoffed, then strode over to Alexander''s spot to check his score. Her jaw dropped in as she looked at in silence. Chapter 30 - 30 Consider this a gift Her face was one of disbelief as she saw the score. She looked pale as she stared at the scene before her. "Impossible," she muttered, slamming her fist against the metal fence that marked the boundary for players shouldn''t cross. She was pale and couldn''t believe what had just happened. Alexander''s score from the game was a staggering 10,859 - double from her own. "My record," she said, her voice filled with grievance. Claire glared at Alexander, her eyes narrowed, "Alexander, this isn''t fair! You''ve clearly cheated. You''re a newbie, aren''t you? How can your score be better than mine? Don''t tell me you''re a wolf in sheep''s clothing!" she retorted, her voice laced with accusation. Alexander, upon hearing this, furrowed his brows. "It''s not my fault you''re weak," he said, his tone dripping with pity. "Your title as the first placer of this game is actually so-so" Claire''s anger flared. She knew Alexander was a skilled fighter, but how could he also be so good at shooting games? It just didn''t seem possible. "Hmph, this doesn''t count. You''ve clearly cheated," she declared, her voice dripping with authority. "The bet is void." Alexander raised an eyebrow, listening incredulously to Claire''s excuse for not accepting defeat. Seeing his look of disbelief, Claire simply ignored it and spoke. "What do you still want to argue about?" she said, her glare unwavering. "No," he said quickly. Women''s emotions really did change faster than flipping a book. Just a minute ago she was beaming, and now that she''d lost, she was blaming him. What a cruel world this was. Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, thinking to himself. Hearing his reply, Claire''s smile returned, her expression becoming playful once again. "That''s good. This young lady forgives you," she said shamelessly, completely forgetting about the bet and her loss. "Let''s try playing other games." Sophie watched the two of them interact, with a chuckle escaping from her lips. They then moved on to a game called Whack-a-Mole, where the goal was to whack as many moles as you could. Claire went first, but after ten moles popped out, she only managed to hit two or three. She was frustrated and angry, so she started smashing the moles relentlessly whenever they appeared, seemingly intent on destroying them rather than just hitting them. Alexander couldn''t help but laugh and receive a glare from Claire, forcing him to keep quiet. Next, it was Sophie''s turn. She picked up the hammer and whacked away, hitting a respectable six moles, earning more points than Claire had. Alexander gave Sophie a thumbs up, making her smile as she stepped down. It was his turn next, and he picked up the hammer. As he was holding it, a mole popped out, and with a swift, fluid motion, Alexander whacked it without any trouble. His movements were precise and effortless. As more moles emerged, none escaped his grasp, and he hit them all, earning a perfect score. He then turned to the two of them, who stood there with their mouths hanging open in shock. They couldn''t actually see Alexander swinging the hammer, but they heard the resounding "smack" every time it hit a mole, sending it back down into its hole. Alexander gazed at Claire, a wide smile stretched across his face that clearly interprets as, "You''ve lost again." Her idolized look instantly transformed into anger. They played a few more games, challenging each other with each one. Currently, they were engaged in a racing game. Alexander noticed that Sophie was missing. When he looked around for her, he saw her standing by the area where he''d pointed out the first game, the one where Claire had asked for her opinion. Alexander stood up from the driver''s seat, leaving Claire behind. She was so focused on winning that she didn''t even notice he''d already left her side. "Do you want a toy?" Alexander asked Sophie, who was completely unaware he was standing behind her. Sophie, who had been intently watching the machine, suddenly heard a voice behind her, giving her a fright. Turning around, she saw a familiar figure, which brought a wave of relief. "Alexander, don''t scare me like that," she said coldly, but her expression was so adorable that it couldn''t possibly frighten anyone. "You almost gave me a heart attack." Her appearance, voice and even the way she acts and moves. Is like a pure innocent girl, that is an ideal partner for every man. "Oh, sorry about that," Alexander said, "I just noticed you''d been spacing out for a while, looking at the claw machine. Do you want one?" Sophie shook her head. She really wanted it, but it seemed impossible to win the stuffed toy. It was just so hard. She didn''t want to embarrass Alexander because the odds of winning were so slim. Seeing her shake her head, Alexander could tell that she really wanted it. Because he could see it in her eyes. Without saying a word, he walked over to the claw machine and inserted a coin. He then took control of the controller and pressed the button, sending the claw lowering to capture its prey. Sophie, realizing what was happening, quickly walked toward Alexander. "Alexander, you don''t have to! I said I¡ª" Her words were cut short as she saw the claw carrying the plush toy. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the toy fell into the prize drop, Alexander retrieved it and held it out to Sophie, extending his hand towards her. She was stunned. Seeing the cute toy, she couldn''t help but take it and hug it tightly, pressing it against her chest. The plush toy''s cottony exterior was as soft as a baby''s cheek, practically begging to be cuddled. The plush was shaped like a bunny, with big, expressive eyes that seemed to sparkle with mischief. Its white fur was so inviting, you just wanted to sink your fingers into its plushy embrace. She couldn''t help but release a blooming smile as she looked at Alexander. Her eyes were sweet and captivating, filled with affection. She looked at him bashfully, with her cheeks flushed with color. "Thank you for the gift, Alexander," she said, her cheeks still flushed. Alexander was captivated for a moment. He felt like his heart was racing. He couldn''t help but be stunned. Wasn''t his heart made of stone, because of his skills? How could it be so turbulent for a moment? "Don''t mention it," he replied, as he made a fake cough. "The two of you were actually here! I''ve been looking for you everywhere," Claire said, her voice laced with annoyance being left behind. Seeing the interaction between Alexander and Sophie, and noticing Sophie''s blushing and shy face, Claire''s heart began to panic. "Did something happen while I was gone for a moment?" she asked, her gaze scanning the two of them, searching for clues. Both Alexander and Sophie looked at her, their eyes meeting hers. But Claire did not care and continued scanned them from top to bottom, searching for answers. Finally, her gaze landed on the bunny plush toy, the cutest she''d ever seen. With a knowing look, she finally understood. "Sophie, that toy?" Claire pointed at the plush, her voice laced with suspicion. "Oh, this? Alexander won it for me in just one round," Sophie said, her face beaming with happiness. "He''s actually so good." Hearing this, Claire realized that she wanted one too, but she was too embarrassed to ask Alexander. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the bunny, unable to hide her desire. Noticing this, Alexander asked her, "You want one?" "Hmph, who wants that? I''m not a child," she said, her arms crossed over her chest, puffing out her cheeks like a child trying to hide their true feelings. "Okay," Alexander nodded, then continued. "Let''s go eat. We''ve been here for hours now, I''m starving," he suggested, and then he and Sophie left the arcade. Being left behind, Claire stared in disbelief. "This wasn''t in the script!" she exclaimed. "Weren''t you supposed to ask me if I wanted it? Or maybe even win me the prize without my consent, you idiot? I hate you!" She fumed, following after them. After exiting the arcade, Alexander noticed that Claire was keeping her distance from him. "Did I even offend her?" Alexander wondered, but nothing came to his mind. He just shrugged it off and continued walking. "Do you guys want to eat here? My treat," Alexander said, pointing at the place. The place he pointed to was called ''Jollibee'' a famous fast-food restaurant in his country. Hearing the words "my treat," Sophie was skeptical for a moment. Wasn''t Alexander trying to save money, since he was working as waiter? But Claire, who was behind her, was too clouded by anger to care. She just harrumphed and walked inside, so Sophie could only follow her. Finding a table, Alexander asked what they wanted to order. "I just want the Original Chicken, Alexander," Sophie replied, choosing the lowest price on the menu. "I want the C3," Claire said, puffing out her cheeks. "It says here that it comes with three chicken pieces, one sauce, one burger steak, one coke float, and one rice. Hmph." She harrumphed in her last sentence, still holding a grudge. Alexander, starting to get a feel for Claire''s attitude, knew the best counter for it, it was to ''ignore it''. "Okay, it''s going to take a while," he said as he joined the line. After waiting for a while, he sat down with the two of them, carrying a check that came to over 898 pesos, which was really not a big amount for him. Seeing the bill, Sophie couldn''t help but feel bad for Alexander. When the order arrived, they began to eat a hearty meal, Sophie then asked Alexander. "Alexander, how come you''re so good back at the arcade? Especially playing ''Project: Z-Zero.'' I think your score will remain undefeated there forever," she said, her voice filled with admiration. Claire, who was biting the chicken, nearly choked. She remembered her arrogant, and prideful look at that time and how Alexander had crushed her triumphant expression into oblivion. Now that Sophie had mentioned it again, Claire could only vent her anger through the fried chicken, eating it without minding her image as a woman. Suddenly, a girl''s voice sounded behind Alexander. "Alexander, what a coincidence! You''re actually here?" Her voice was charming and soothing to the ear. Chapter 31 - 31 Crush Since Elementary Alexander recognized the familiar voice and a girl from his high school years instantly appeared in his mind. He looked back and saw a girl with a happy smile gazing at him. "Zya? What a coincidence," Alexander exclaimed, surprised, as he stood up from his seat. Seeing his surprised expression, Zya smiled delicately, her voice coquettish. Without hesitation, she hugged Alexander, who was still facing away from her. Alexander was shocked and his face flushed red as he was unexpectedly embraced. "How have you been these past few days, Alexander?" she asked, her eyes glimmering as she looked at Alexander with longing. But she stopped her gaze, realizing that he wasn''t alone. Two women were accompanying him, and she gazed at them coldly. Claire, who was shocked by the sudden intimacy, was stunned, but then angry. Her eyes flared as she gazed back coldly towards Zya. Her eyes were indicating the words ''mine'' with her violent gaze looking at her, but Zya did not back down. Instead, she scoffed at the two. Sophie, on the side, was bewildered. Why was the girl who hugged Alexander looking at her aggressively? Also, she even hugged Alexander without any constraint. Couldn''t she have asked the other party first before she did that? She only pouted as she did not back down from the gaze either. Seeing their looks, Alexander hurriedly introduced Sophie and Claire to her. "Oh, yeah, Zya, these are my new friends. This is Claire, the boss''s sister from where I work, and this is Sophie, the cook of the restaurant. We came here to have fun but decided to eat since we are hungry. What about you? Are you also here to eat?" he asked curiously. "Yes, a friend of mine invited me to eat here," she said scornfully, purely irritated or feeling disgust with the person who invited her. Zya stood tall, a striking 5''8" with long, raven-black hair that cascaded down her back. Her features were small and perfectly proportioned, with a high forehead framed by her long, dark hair. Her eyes, the most striking aspect of her face, were large and almond-shaped, with a captivating shade of crimson that seemed to glow with an inner light. They were framed by long, thick eyelashes, and a hint of matureness always seemed to linger in their depths. Her nose was small and straight, and her pink cherry lips were so charming to look at. Her expression was one of quiet confidence, with a hint of a smile playing on her lips. She seemed to be both playful and intelligent, a combination that made her all the more intriguing. She was dressed in a crisp white blazer, adorned with black trim, over a black collared shirt and a vibrant turquoise tie. The blazer was paired with a pleated white skirt that fell just above her knees, and she wore black tights that accentuated her long legs. Her attire exuded an air of sophistication. Zya Puertas is Alexander''s best friend all the way back from elementary school. She was talkative and cute, and she sometimes loved to talk with him. There were times when his classmates bullied him, and she was always there to stand up for him. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also brave and smart. This is when Alexander developed a crush on her when he was 12 years old. At that time, he really wanted to confess but didn''t want to. Since her family was rich, she had many suitors at that time, even though she was just a child. When they were in high school, her suitors were not only rich but also came from families with strong family backgrounds. So he only buried this in his heart and let time slowly extinguish that flame. Since he knew that the two of them weren''t compatible and if he confessed and she said no, then their friendship for years would be ruined for nothing. Hearing his words, Alexander was about to ask what friend when suddenly a voice of a guy came. "Zya, sorry I''m late. What do you want to eat? Do you want a-" His voice stopped as he saw a man was so close to Zya, seeming like they were a couple. His eyes flared with jealousy, his face turned red with anger. He bared his teeth and closed the distance between them. "Hey, you! Why are you sticking so close to Zya? With your poor clothes, do you think you can afford her?" he spoke without restraint. His vicious eyes and malicious words were so bad to hear. Alexander narrowed his eyes and was about to retort, but someone already beat him to it. "Shut up you dog. Being rich isn''t an achievement when your attitude stinks like that. You walk around like your money can buy respect, but news flash ¨C it can''t. You look like you just crawled out of a trash heap, and yet you have the nerve to insult Alexander? Please. He''s got more beauty and decency in his little finger than you''ll ever have in your entire miserable existence. And guess what? Your face looks like it was kicked by a donkey, it makes me want to puked." Claire retorted in a high voice, her anger roused if it concerns Alexander name. The people dining inside were startled by the sudden shout, turning their heads to see the source. It was an argument between charming individuals. Hearing a girl berate him in front of a crowd, the guy''s gaze shifted, his eyes seeming to hold a flicker of anger. But when he saw that it was a beautiful woman, his face softened into a smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. "There''s not just one beauty, but two! How can this bastard be so lucky?" The man thought to himself, inwardly envious of Alexander''s good fortune. He only looked at the girl, her tomboyish attire making her seem more like a boy than a girl. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Beauty being handsome isn''t everything," he retorted with a smirk, his eyes lingering on her with a predatory gleam. "If he can''t even earn a decent living, what will happen to his future? He''ll starve to death and be a low-class insect forever." As he looked at her from top to bottom. Not only her, but his gaze also shifted to another girl in the group, a short-haired woman with striking beauty as well. "Well, being with a handsome man with a good personality is better than a rich, ugly wrench," Claire countered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Being called ugly by a beautiful girl ignited a spark of anger within him. His face wasn''t truly handsome, just slightly above average. Thin brows framed sharp eyes, a slightly prominent nose, and short black hair. He was tall, well over six feet, with a muscular build that set him apart from the average man. Alexander was around 6 feet as well, but the guy was slightly taller. With no way to retaliate physically, he could only glare at Alexander, his disgust is palpable. "Are you just going to hide behind a woman? What a coward you are," he spat, his voice laced with aggression. He clenched his fist, attempting to intimidate Alexander with the threat of violence. Undeterred, Alexander met his gaze blankly, his face devoid of emotion. The skill ''Heart of Stone'' helped him quell the rising rage within him. But inside he really wants to cripple him right now. It was only Zya''s presence that held him back. If it was his past self, he would have caused trouble already. "Your mouth stinks," Alexander said, his face contorted in disgust, as if he had just smelled a pile of dung. "You bastard! What did you say?!" The man roared, his anger reaching a boiling point. He made a right hook, his fist came flying towards Alexander''s face. "Michael, what are you doing? Who gave you the guts to insult my friend?" Zya intervened, her voice laced with fury, halting his attack. His fist froze mid-air, inches from Alexander''s face. It was too close to dodge. Alexander stood there, completely still, not even flinching. He was motionless when the attack was coming at him. This filled the guy with a strange kind of disgust, "This guy was so easy to intimidate, it was almost offensive." he cursed at Alexander, only at his though. Thinking that he was so scared that he did not even respond from his attack. "You''re lucky this time," he grumbled, pulling his fist back and shoving his hands into his pockets acting cool. "I should say that to you," Alexander replied coldly, a smirk spreading across his face. "Why, you little¡ª" Michael didn''t finish his sentence as Zya shouted again. "Michael, if you don''t stop, I''m going to ask you to leave." Her eyes were as cold as her voice. Michael reluctantly held back his anger as he looked at Alexander, his looked was so cold that seemed ready to devour Alexander whole. If looks could kill, Alexander would have been dead. "I''m leaving for now, but this isn''t over," Michael said, threatening Alexander. He then left, leaving Zya behind. Alexander watched him go without a hint of fear. Even a gang wouldn''t stand a chance against him, what could a normal guy possibly do? "Sorry about that, Alexander. Please don''t mind his words. He''s just so arrogant and thinks he''s above everyone else," Zya said, pouting and looking adorably cute. Alexander didn''t let Michael''s words bother him. Ever since he gained this skill, he felt that insults that once fueled his anger had significantly less impact. However, the lingering urge to take down that guy remained, thankfully, he was able to hold it back. "Zya, don''t mention it. I don''t really care what he says since it''s just empty words," he said with a smile. Seeing this, Zya couldn''t help but smile at his carefree expression. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she remembered something important. "Alexander, I''m sorry, but I have to go or I''ll be late. I''ll call you to catch up on some things," she said, sounding reluctant but still waved her goodbye as she left. As Zya stepped out of the restaurant, she was filled with anger over Michael''s actions. Their reunion had been ruined because of him. Just then, her phone rang. She answered it as she speaks quickly. "Dad, I''m on my way now," Zya said into the phone. "Be quick, Zya. You know how important this day is," her father''s voice replied from the other end. Zya''s expression turned serious, "I know, Father. I''ll be home soon." She picked up her pace, leaving the mall behind. Meanwhile, Alexander, Sophie, and Claire also left the restaurant. Their appetites had been spoiled, and people around them were staring and whispering, making them the center of attention. As they walked through the mall''s hallway, Claire was still fuming, practically wanting to skin Michael alive. Alexander tried to calm her down, and after a while, they separated and headed home. Chapter 32 - 32 Is he your boyfriend? Alexander didn''t return to his manor instead, he went to his apartment, since he left the sets of Mountain Dew there. Upon arriving, he took the stairs and entered his room. After closing the door, he searched for the sets of Mountain Dew, and he saw it on the right side of the wall. They were then illuminated by spectral light as they disintegrated into particles. A panel then materialized before him. [Click ''Confirm'' to continue] The system panel said clicking the button, it then disappeared into his system storage. He was so stupid that he actually forgot he had a system storage on him. For the set of Mountain Dew, it was sent to a guy named ''FatMerchant69'' since tomorrow he was going to send it, so sending it early was still the same. Placing his hand on his jaw while looking down, he thought for a while, "I think I should buy some food and drinks tonight since it''s an unknown world. What happens if the animals aren''t edible for me?" he thought deeply. Alexander was truly curious and couldn''t wait to experience what world he was going to be transported to. But he knew he must not slack off and prepare himself for the better. He then sat cross-legged again on the bed, using the ''Vital Draw Technique'' to attract the surrounding energy. His focus was at maximum, and after an hour had passed and night came, he couldn''t help but furrow his brows. "The energy here is really thin. After cultivating for six hours, only two points were added, and for the rest, it''s just only one," he said in disappointment, his face etched with frustration. [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 28 Speed: 24 Defense: 25 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 61,525 Pesos Balance: 27,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Observing his stats and the remaining free points, he decided to let it stand by and wait for trouble to arise. Glancing at his earnings, which had reached 61,525 pesos, he couldn''t help but shake his head. It was like half a day of accumulation, and he had only earned that much. He was planning to continue and wait until 8 pm to stop, but his phone rang. The name was familiar, and the face on the profile was Zya''s. Answering the phone and placing it to his ear, he asked, "Yes, Zya, is there a problem?" he inquired, puzzled by her call at night. "Alexander, can you accompany me tonight?" she replied on the other end. Upon hearing this, Alexander agreed immediately, as it was nighttime, and he was concerned that something might happen to her. "Sure, where do you want us to meet?" he asked inquisitively. "I''m just outside Gaisano. I''ll be waiting for you here," she said warmly over the phone. "I''ll be there right away," Alexander replied. After the call ended, he searched for clothes in his drawer to change. Despite not having showered, he felt refreshed. Opting for a white shorts and a black T-shirt with the ''Oxygen'' logo, he left his room. After stepping out of his apartment, he took a ride in a minibus. The place was a bit far, as the ride would take the road over the bridge, this is the minibus pathway. "I really need to buy a car," Alexander sighed inwardly. Arriving across Gaisano, a supermall, he crossed the road and tried to find Zya. Finally, he spotted her standing in the center. She looks so elegant, draped in a sleek black dress that hugged her curves with understated grace. The dress featured a high neckline with a delicate choker, adding a touch of sophistication. The sweetheart neckline, subtly revealing a sliver of her decolletage, hinted at a playful sensuality beneath her demure exterior. The long sleeves, gathered at the shoulders, added a touch of romanticism, while the thigh-high slit on the skirt showcased her long, slender legs. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, framing a face that was both delicate and striking. Her eyes, a deep, mesmerizing shade of brown, held a quiet intensity that hinted at hidden depths. Her lips painted a soft shade of pink and her entire demeanor exuded an air of a quiet beauty and elegance. The dress, with its simple yet sophisticated design, accentuated her natural beauty and highlighted her graceful figure. She was a vision of understated elegance, a woman who commanded attention without needing to shout. Alexander was frozen for a moment, unable to help but see how beautiful she looked, all dressed up. He then called out to her. Zya, hearing the familiar voice, shifted slightly. When she saw Alexander, she arched a smile that felt like it was radiating with light. He was frozen yet again, wondering if the skill ''Heart of Stone'' was working or not. Seeing her awed expression, she couldn''t help but giggle at his silly expression and take pride in his beauty. "Sorry I''m late. The minibus took a detour, crossing two bridges," Alexander explained, scratching his back hair sheepishly. Zya just smiled and interlocked her arms with Alexander, feeling the soft skin of his. He couldn''t help but freeze, wondering what just happened. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If his memory served him right, Zya wasn''t usually this touchy, but now she was interlocking with him, making him surprised by the intimacy. Suddenly, a car roared and stopped in front of them, as they were close to the road. It was a supercar, a Toyota GR Supra, rolled up. Its electric blue paint still gleamed despite a few subtle signs of wear, giving it a rugged, seasoned look. The car''s sharp, aggressive curves and low-slung stance gave it the appearance of a predator on the road, ready to pounce. Its black alloy wheels and carbon-fiber spoiler showed its raw speed and power it contained, while the roaring exhaust announced its arrival long before anyone saw it. The windows then lowered, and a familiar face appeared in Alexander''s view. It was none other than Michael, the guy who had insulted him back at the restaurant. He was wearing a formal suit, and his face was filled with a smile. But when he saw Zya interlocking her arms with Alexander, his gaze turned cold. "Not you, poor guy, again? Why are you here!" Michael spoke, starting to insult him again. Zya narrowed her brows and said coldly, "Michael, if you don''t let Alexander come, then I won''t come with you," she said indifferently. Michael couldn''t help but curse but had nothing to do but agree. So, he got out and opened the door in the front seat, but Zya just ignored him and opened the door for the back seat. She went inside and called for Alexander to sit beside her. Alexander followed suit, leaving Michael, the owner of the car, fuming. His eyes were red, as if he had been treated as a chauffeur in his own car. He swallowed his anger and entered the driver''s seat, driving away from the scene. Looking at the rearview mirror, he could see the two of them engaged in a cheerful conversation, completely disregarding his presence. "Let''s see how I can make you pay for ruining my chances," Michael thought coldly. Through the rearview mirror, he noticed Alexander''s eyes roaming around his car, making him have an arrogant smile from his face. "A poor person remains a poor person. Consider it an honor to ride in my car," he thought, emphasizing their difference in status. Unbeknownst to him, Alexander simply observed the car and noted its flaws. The paint had faint scratches and a couple of small dings on the body, suggesting it was overused. The leather seats had softened, displaying slight creases and a gentle patina. The digital dashboard glowed brightly, but some buttons showed signs of wear, indicating frequent use. After his observations, it became clear to Alexander that the car was pre-owned, likely a second-hand purchase. He then resumed his conversation with Zya, and eventually, they reached their destination. She then opened one door, while Alexander opened the other. They both stepped out of the car as Michael parked it. At the entrance, a large man in a black suit stood, adorned with black tattoos of a dragon on his neck that extended to his cheeks. Bald and muscular, resembling a WWE wrestler, his presence was even more intimidating due to his black skin tone. Michael handed him a card, which the man inspected before allowing the three of them to enter. Walking through the hallway, they found themselves in a KTV bar. After a brief walk, they reached a door. Upon opening it, they found seven people already inside. There were four men and three women inside. As they opened the door, the group smiled, indicating they had been waiting for them. However, they were surprised to see an additional, uninvited guest who was more handsome than anyone they had ever encountered. Despite his striking looks, the women lost interest upon noticing his casually dressed attire, leading to disappointed sighs. They had finally met a handsome man, only to realize he was not wealthy. "Michael, you''re finally here. Let''s start drinking now," a man with brown hair said with a smile. "Haha, I''m only late because I picked up Zya on the way," Michael responded. The man with brown hair looked at the new unfamiliar face and inquired, "Who''s the man you brought along?" scrutinizing Alexander from head to toe. "A poor guy, just pretend he was never here," Michael said, attempting to humiliate Alexander. Zya was displeased with his words but chose to introduce Alexander to the group, "This is my classmate since elementary, his name is Alexander," presenting him to the others. The group nodded in agreement, as they were reluctant to befriend someone that is poor, regardless of his good looks. Then a girl, around Zya''s age, approached her. "Zya, is he your boyfriend? If not, why did you invite him?" May asked, narrowing her eyes as she whispered into Zya''s ear. "May, he''s my friend. Of course, I want to invite him to accompany me. I only accepted Michael''s invitation because you were pestering me to go, not because of him," Zya cheeks blushed, as she explained to her best friend. May, who had been her friend for years despite not attending the same school, had a preference for wealthy individuals. Zya could sense the disdain in her words when mentioning Alexander. "Zya, just a reminder, Michael is much better than your friend over there. He''s only handsome, but being handsome doesn''t make money. You have to consider that Michael is the best choice," May said to her. "I''ll keep that in mind," Zya responded, not caring at all. She just wanted her friend to shut up rather than arguing with her. Chapter 33 - 33 Being deaf can actually be a gift Seeing her gaze, which seemed indifferent to her words, May did not spoke anymore. Everyone then called for a gathering at the table. The place they were in right now were considered good, the walls are a deep blue, accented by a diamond-patterned wall with blue LED lighting. A long, plush sofa runs along the wall, inviting guests to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. The room is furnished with low coffee tables, perfect for drinks and snacks. A large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall displays a vibrant underwater scene, adding a touch of color to the otherwise dark space. All of them then sat on the sofa as a girl in uniform went inside their room, clearly a waitress, to deliver their drinks and snacks. Alexander was seated on the far-left part, with Zya beside him to keep him company, as she was the one who invited him. Each person had a glass cup, and they all poured drinks into them. "So, Alexander, you haven''t told me what your work is. Can you give me the honor of telling me?" Michael didn''t waste any time and target Alexander directly. Alexander glanced at the glass of wine in front of him but didn''t touch it. Because he wasn''t really a drinker. Hearing Michael''s question, he pursed his lips, aware that he was being deliberately targeted by the other party. "Actually, I work at a restaurant and also I''m a waiter," Alexander replied, meeting Michael''s gaze. The other people at the table were showing a disgusted expression on their faces, "How dare he sit at the same table as them with his low status?" But they kept this thoughts only to themselves. Alexander could see the disgust in their eyes, but he remained unfazed. Being a waiter was a job, and he didn''t see why it should be viewed with disdain. Michael chuckled at Alexander''s answer, but inside, he was cursing at him. "How dare a waiter try to snatch my woman and even dare to challenge me? With your status as a waiter, you even dare to talk back to me and ignore me?" he thought angrily. "Oh, a waiter, that''s really bad," Michael said smugly, taking a sip of the wine. "I heard that a waiter at a restaurant could only earn about 13,000 pesos per month. Hayss, Alexander, you should focus more on business to be more successful." he educated Alexander, like a grown man. "Do you see this wine? This is Opus One, it costs around 20,000 pesos per bottle. Be honored that you can drink this," Michael said arrogantly, expecting praise from his friend and yes, they didn''t disappointed him. "Wow, this bottle costs around 20,000 pesos, so very expensive," a girl in the group with heavy makeup exclaimed. "Big bro Michael, it''s really an honor for us to taste this wine for the first time in our lives," another person said, taking the glass of wine that had been poured for him. "Brother Michael is really rich, such a capable guy is really hard to find" May said full of compliment as she glanced at Zya, but her expression remained stoic. "Of course, of course, we''re friends, aren''t we?" he said, full of pride, he was really delighted. The Opus One wine is a bottle of elegance and simplicity. It has a tall, slender shape, made from dark, thick glass that gives off an air of luxury. The deep blue foil covering the top extends down the neck of the bottle, embossed with the signature "O" of Opus One, a mark of its prestige. At the center of the bottle, a minimalist white label features two intertwined profiles, symbolizing the collaboration between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Beneath the image, in elegant blue font, the name "Opus One" is written with the vintage year below it. May shifted her gaze towards Alexander, looking at him with disgust, as if he were a germ in her eyes. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alexander, since Michael let us experience how this wine tastes, why don''t you pour wine for Michael to show your appreciation?" May said coldly, her smile a mask of malice. Alexander, hearing this, furrowed his brows and looked at her. From their earlier conversation between Zya and her, he could clearly hear her, even though she had just whispered it. His enhanced hearing made it possible. "Sorry, I don''t drink wine, and besides, doesn''t he have a pair of hands? Why doesn''t he pour himself if he''s so capable?" Alexander said calmly, meeting her gaze. Hearing Alexander''s words, many were angered, "How dare you, a poor waiter from a restaurant, have the nerve to decline May''s suggestion? Will you die by just pouring one glass for our big brother?" the guy said, glaring at Alexander. This was the same person who had asked Michael about Alexander earlier. The girl with heavy makeup also chimed in, "Yeah, you''re handsome, but you''re so full of yourself and so arrogant. If you weren''t with Zya, I would have kicked you right now," she said, her voice laced with venom, clearly wanting to hit Alexander. May was also dissatisfied and felt humiliated by Alexander''s words, "Hmph, what can your pride even do? Can it even help you earn money? Zya, are you not going to say anything about this?" she said, looking at Zya, expecting an answer. Zya frowned at their words. She was even more disappointed in her friend May. If only she hadn''t invited Alexander, he wouldn''t have been humiliated. "Alright, alright, stop now. Don''t let a poor guy ruin our drink," Michael said, shaking his hands, his face plastered with a fake smile. They continued their drinking session, and Alexander didn''t touch the wine; he truly wasn''t a drinker. "I''ll go to the bathroom first," May said to the others, leaving the room. Zya also drank some, but only one or two cups, as she wasn''t a heavy drinker and had a low tolerance. "Brother Michael, is it true that you''ve bought a new car?" the same guy with brown hair asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Hearing this, Michael knew it was his time to show off again. He didn''t waste any time in flaunting his wealth. "Yes, Bard, I''ve recently bought one. It''s a Toyota GR Supra, you know it cost me millions of my hard-earned money to buy. But a friend of mine gave me a discount since he treats me as a brother," he said, acting cool and showing off his connections. Bard, the guy with brown hair, looked at Michael with stars in his eyes and began to bootlick him. "Young master Michael is really capable. If only I had just a small fraction of your skills, I wouldn''t be this poor," he said, lamenting his current situation. And also changing his way of calling to brother to young master. The other girls had their eyes shining and couldn''t help but lament that he hadn''t pursued them. They were a little jealous of Zya for having a rich man pursuing her, but she didn''t even care. "Young master Michael is really capable and godly," another man said, showering him with praise. The rest of the people continued to give praise for him. Alexander couldn''t help but chuckle at this. He had clearly seen the car when he was inside, and it was old, almost like a second-hand car. It wouldn''t even reach millions if it were sold. This guy could really win an award for his bragging skills. Hearing Alexander''s chuckle, the people around the table quickly narrowed their eyes. Bard slammed his hand on the table, feeling displeased just by seeing this guy acting arrogant again even though he was so poor. "If you''re so capable, why don''t you try buying a car that costs millions?" Bard said coldly, baring his teeth. Alexander didn''t get angry. If he really wanted to, he could buy a car he liked with just one day of grinding. Hearing no response from Alexander, Bard could only scoff. Their favorability towards Alexander was now negative. Zya, feeling embarrassed, couldn''t help but lean in and whisper to Alexander''s ear, "Sorry, Alexander, for inviting you here. I didn''t know that they would act this aggressively towards you," she said sheepishly. She looked so cute and beautiful the way she looked at him. Alexander just smiled at her and replied without any care about their words, "Don''t worry, I''m fine," he whispered back into her ear. Feeling his breath on her ear, Zya''s face turned red, and she lowered her head like a child. Her blush even reached all the way to her ears. Seeing this scene, Michael was so angry. How dare they act so lovey-dovey in front of him? "Alexander is working in the restaurant, really good? What about I recommend you to become a call center agent? You''re salary will be around 20,000-21,000 pesos per month if you want to," Michael said mockingly. He was mocking Alexander for mentioning he was working at a restaurant while pretending to offer him a job. It''s like acting as a saint and demon at the same time. Alexander couldn''t help but laugh at this. Even if there was no system that earned him money, Alexander wouldn''t accept his offer. His salary was 1,000 pesos per day, which was higher than any other job. It could earn him about 29,000-31,000 pesos every month. "No need, I love my current job," Alexander replied instantly, not even considering it. "Hmph, if you don''t want to, then it''s your loss. This is an opportunity, but you didn''t even bother to think twice about it," Michael snorted. "Young master Michael is already acting humbly towards you by offering you a job with a good salary, and you didn''t even think about it. No wonder you''re so poor," Bard said exasperatedly. Then there came the others'' insulting words towards him about being too prideful. Alexander just looked at them calmly, with disdain in his face. They were about to say more when suddenly the door opened, and May finally came back. There seemed to be something wrong with her. "May, are you okay?" Zya said, standing up and going to May, touching her cheeks. There was a red handprint in her face, and her face was full of fear while her hair was so haggard. "Don''t worry, Zya, I''m fine," May said, but the fear in her voice was vivid. Suddenly, the closed door was slammed opened, and a bunch of men with tattoos and big muscles came in. After they were inside, there was a fat middle-aged man with a red, beaten face that looked like it was slapped by a hard object. His right face was bleeding, and everyone wondered what had happened and who is this fat man. Chapter 34 - 34 Fate is really unpredictable? The fat man had a ferocious expression on his face as he came inside the room, accompanied by a total of seven big men in black suits. The atmosphere in the room began to turn hostile. May, seeing him, was scared. Her legs were shaking constantly, and she hid behind Zya. The others also stood up and came towards Zya and May to face these unreasonable people who seems to come to looked for trouble. The fat man seeing her his gaze was menacing as an infuriated buddha since his bald, with smile adorned his face, "You bitch you think you can escape? I just only want you to accompany me, but you have the nerve to slap me. I will show you what true slapping really is" his face was lewd, and his cold gaze is really scary to see. Zya was protecting May behind her, who was shaking. She asked May about what happened. May then recounted the events when she went out to go to the bathroom. "After I finished peeing and washed my hands, I was about to walk back when that fat guy stopped me and wanted me to accompany him to drink. Of course, I disagreed, but he held my hand, making hurting so I''d struggle to escape his clutches. So, I had no choice but to slap him in the face. But he retaliated and slapped me, so I picked up the vase in display that was nearest to me and smashed it into his face so I could escape. Zya, please help me," she said, her voice trembling with a tear in her eyes. Zya, hearing this, narrowed her eyes in anger clearly enraged about the people who hurt May. Her gaze lingered on them, full of coldness. Even though her best friend had a bad attitude, they had been friends for three years now. The others, hearing this, couldn''t help but frown. They didn''t know such things actually happened. The fat man, hearing this, didn''t care about their cold glares towards him. "Hey, you ugly fat man, how dare you bully our friend? Are you not afraid of the law?" Bard said coldly, he was fuming and it was livid on his face. The fat man just laughed, and even his big belly shook from his laughter. "Law? What law are you talking about? If you curse at me again, believe it or not, I will cripple you with my men over here," the fat man said menacingly, with a sly smile on his face. Bard, who was full of confidence just now, was now a little scared. He could only swallow what he was about to say again and stay silent. Just by seeing the big men beside the fat man, who wouldn''t be afraid? All of them were in a dilemma right now, afraid of getting beat up. But suddenly, Michael, who was behind them, looked at his classmates with a smile. Seeing his confident attitude, May and the rest were no longer scared and waited for him to fix the problem. He went forward and faced the fat man with no fear on his face. "Hello, sir, there seems to be a misunderstanding. My friends are at fault first, but can we let this problem bygones be bygones? To not make matters worse," he stated to them. The fat man looked at him as if seeing an idiot. "Kid, who do you think you are to talk to me face to face? Do you want to get a beating? If I smash your face with a vase and let the problem aside, aren''t you also going to lose face" he said coldly, lacing his words with threat. Michael frowned, wondering if this fat man didn''t know him, so he introduced himself. "Listen here, sir, My name is Michael Barocayo. I think you''ve already heard my name, right? So, can we just let this matter slide?" Michael said, full of pride, waiting for the fat man to retreat. The fat man snorted and looked at the fool who was acting like a clown in front of him. "Barocayo? What kind of family name is that? It sounds like a fucking broccoli. You''d better not involve yourself here, or I will smash that bottle of wine in your face. Making you hospitalized for a month," the fat man said, full of contempt, wondering where this kid got his courage from. Seeing that there was no effect, Zya, May, and the others were finally sensing a bit of dread. Michael was displeased, wondering if this fat man hadn''t heard of his name, so he spoke yet again. "I believe you''ve heard of my father. His name is Laxon Barocayo. He''s a businessman and very influential. I believe you''ve heard his name," Michael said with pride, mentioning his father. Hearing the name, the fat man sensed a little trouble, but he was just a low-class businessman in their circle of people, not a person to be wary about. Seeing his face, Michael knew that he must have heard of his father, since his father had a lot of connections and was also influential. The fat man just smiled and pursed his lips, "Do you even know who I am alright then I''ll tell you, I''m Bald Fury one of the four captains of the ''Black Serpent Gangs''. Tell me should I still be afraid?" He said looking at Michael eyes. The others, hearing this were terrified. How could they not know him? He was a ferocious and cruel person. There were a lot of rumors about his criminal record, like rape, killing, and drugs. But he was still roaming around the city like nothing ever happened. Even Michael was in a dilemma right now, since the problem was much harder than he thought. Alexander hearing this, couldn''t help but pursed his lips in amusement, "Fate is really unpredictable," he said inwardly as he inspected the fat man. The fat man just smiled expecting their reaction then compromised with Michael, "Since I know your father, I will let you all leave," he said with a smile. The others, hearing this were happy while sighing in relief. Finally, the danger was gone. Their idolization towards Michael increased drastically. "But, the two of them will stay," the fat man said, pointing at Zya and May. His gaze towards Zya was full of lust. He had already been eyeing her for a while now. Wondering how it would feel to pin this kind of teenage lady down. The fat man couldn''t help but drool, imagining that scenario. The others hearing this were stunned, and Michael couldn''t help but frown once again. "Sir, they are my friends. I can''t just leave them behind," Michael said, wanting to compromise again. This time the fat man was outraged he shouted, "If it weren''t for your father, I would have crippled all of you in this place right now. I''m giving you a chance. Leave and the problem will be gone or stay and get beat up. You choose," as he looked at him with a stern expression adorned on his face. Zya and May''s faces were solemn, afraid that they are really going to be left alone. After standing and contemplating for a while, Michael made up his choice. He looked at Zya and May resignedly. "Sorry, Zya, I can''t handle this problem anymore," he said, as he left the place bitterly. The others were also afraid of the trouble, so they left the place following Michael''s back. While they were walking to the exit of the door, Zya''s face was cold with a distant look. "Michael, you coward! Leaving a woman behind. Aren''t you afraid of retribution?" she shouted at him. Michael didn''t look behind and finally exited the place with the rest of his friends. Leaving only Zya and May in the room, but suddenly someone caught their eye on the sofa. A guy was sitting, looking at them with an emotionless expression. The fat man wondered where this kid came from. "Hey, kid, since you''ve stayed, I will not let my word down or I''ll be called a person who does not keep his promise. I''m going to let my men beat you into a pulp until you''re hospitalized," he said to Alexander with a smile on his face. Hearing his words, May and Zya looked behind and they saw Alexander, who then stood up in his seat and stood in front of them, blocking them from the danger. Zya''s face was solemn and worried, seeing Alexander didn''t leave. She was afraid that he might get involved, but actually, he was already involved in the trouble since the fat man had already ordered someone to teach him a lesson. "Don''t worry, Zya. As long as I''m here, there''s not an ounce of your hair that will be touched," he said seriously. Zya, after hearing his words, couldn''t help but sense a bit of security, but she was still worried. The fat man, seeing how brave he was, couldn''t help but laugh, thinking if he was stupid or simply ignorant. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Kid, if you want to do the plot of saving the beauty, I''ll let one of my men wake you from your dreams," the fat man said as the man in the black suit went forward. He cracked his knuckles, and his expression was grinning from ear to ear. With a look of pity and sarcasm on it. When he was close, he threw a direct punch with full force, wanting to knock out Alexander in one blow. Zya and May, seeing this, their faces were pale as white, and Zya couldn''t help but close her eyes. Alexander just arched a smile, and before the fist came, Alexander just made a casual kick with no special effect. When it hit the man in the stomach, he flew back like a broken kite, hitting the door with his back. But because of the force, the door was broken, and he and the door behind him flew until there was a wall stopping his progress. He fell down with his face on the floor without any sign of consciousness. The fat man and his other men, seeing this, were bewildered, and now their faces were full of fear. The fat man even sensed a feeling of dread from the young man''s attack. Zya and May were surprised by Alexander''s power. With just one casual kick, he flew off like a cannonball without any sign of stopping. Zya''s brows fluttered as she gazed at Alexander, filled with curiosity. "Is Alexander one of those people?" she said inwardly, looking at Alexander''s figure. "Do you still want to continue? If you want to, I can entertain you for as long as you want to play," he said with a playful smile as he looked at the fat man. Chapter 35 - 35 Its time Alexander smiled at them, but behind that smile was chilling coldness. His gaze terrified the fat man, and even the others in black suits were visibly shaken. This wasn''t an ordinary person, he seemed more like a superhuman, they though in their mind. After all, who could kick a man bigger than himself so hard that he flew across the room and shattered the door? The fat man''s sweat flowed like a river as he looked at Alexander, but seeing that he still had six men left, he regained some of his composure. "Don''t hesitate! He''s alone, and there are six of you. Draw your weapons and kill that kid!" the fat man commanded, trying to mask his fear by shouting loudly as he pointed at Alexander. The men realized that their big bro was right, Alexander was just one person, while they had numbers on their side. They reached into their pockets, pulling out a folding knife, and slowly began to surround Alexander, glaring at him with killing intent. Alexander smirked in amusement as he watched their movements. He then felt a gentle tug on the back of his clothes. It was Zya, looking at him with deep concern. Alexander gave him a reassuring smile, silently telling him not to worry since he was here. But Zya couldn''t calm down. Just moments ago, the men were unarmed, but now they held knives, making the situation far more dangerous. "Kid, let me tell you, the Black Serpent Gang isn''t a group you can just mess with," the fat man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. Three of the gang members, emboldened by their numbers, launched their attack. The man at the front, his eyes burning with malice, as he aimed a deadly thrust at Alexander''s heart. His intent was clear, he wanted Alexander dead. But Alexander was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he intercepted the knife with just two fingers, stopping it inches from his chest. The man in black suite was stunned by the ease from which Alexander deflected his attack, he tried to pull back his weapon, but it wouldn''t budge. Alexander seized this opportunity, raising his palm with lightning speed. A thunderous slap echoed through the room as his hand connected with the man''s cheek. The force of the blow sent the attacker reeling backward, his face contorted in pain. The slap was like a drum being pounded by a giant drumstick, as the sound echoing through the room. The man''s cheek caved in, as his teeth flying out in a bloody spray. His eyes rolled back without any sign of consciousness, as he was flung through the air. He slammed into the wall, shattering a string of LED lights with a sickening crunch. Sparks flew as the electricity shorted out. The other two men, seeing their comrade''s fate, lunged at Alexander, their knives aimed for his throat. But Alexander was too quick. He lashed out with a lightning-fast punch, connecting with both men''s faces simultaneously. Their faces were shattered, and their noses was crushed and twisted. If there was an X-ray it would likely reveal their broken bones beneath the mangled flesh. They flew through the air like ragdolls, passing beside the fat man, and crashing against the wall at the same time as the walls where they were hit shook from the impact. They then lay motionless, unconscious and defeated. The fat man was visibly terrified, realizing the gravity of the situation he had instigated by provoking such a formidable opponent. The three men was hesitating right now, unsure whether to act or not, knowing that Alexander could swiftly resolve the conflict in a matter of seconds. Like seriously, he dealt with their companions earlier in just a matter of five seconds. Who are they to go and confront this devil, they don''t have five lives. Amidst the chaos with the violent sounds reverberating through the room, a man in a formal suit, adorned with glasses and of a slight build, entered with an expression of anger. "Who dares to stir trouble in our ''Black Serpent Gang'' territory?" he thundered, his gaze piercing as he looked at the fat man. "Pyro, who has the nerve to cause trouble here? Does he still want to live?" he seethed with rage, his gaze locked onto the trembling figure of Pyro. Pyro, unable to meet the furious man''s eyes, trembled visibly, his fear is palpable and livid. With a shaky hand, Pyro pointed towards a figure in the room. The man then strode forward, his anger simmering as he laid eyes on the source of the disturbance. But after seeing the person, his eyes twitched. "How did this kid end up here?" he cursed silently, taken aback by the unexpected presence of the youth. Alexander who was the center of this was stunned, "Didn''t I just kick some of his subordinates ass? why are they treating him with respect right now? Being violent is actually a great way to scare the opponent in submission" he though inwardly. Zya and May just hid behind Alexander, watching the entire situation unfold. "Do you know me?" Alexander said, looking at his face. Ethan answered instantly, "Of course we know you, Mr. Alexander. Please forgive my subordinates for causing trouble. I will try to punish them after this for offending you," he said with his hand clasped, showing Alexander his broken smile. Alexander just snorted, so he walked, planning to leave while holding Zya''s soft hand. Being held by him, Zya couldn''t help but feel that she was in the safest place in the world. "You''d better control your subordinates, or I will do it myself," Alexander said as he passed by him. His voice was cold clearly a threat. Ethan formed some black lines on his forehead as he looked back at Alexander, still having that ugly smile on his face. "Yes, yes, I will try and manage my subordinates after this," he said in a respectful tone, afraid to offend Alexander. Hearing his reply, Alexander just scoffed and left the place through the door and finally exited the bar. When his figure was finally gone, Ethan, whose face still had a smile, turned ferocious as a mad lion. "Fuck! fuck! fuck! that kid thinks he''s so good, huh? Let me see how we''ll deal with you," he said, cursing Alexander as he picked up the wine bottle on the table and smashed it to relieve his anger. He was seething with anger, a controlled but with an intense anger, with his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. Seeing this, Pyro and the rest couldn''t help but calm him down. After he was calmed, his eyes were still red from the anger and humiliation. "Big brother, are we going to take revenge?" Pyro said, even though he was afraid, but the humiliation the Black Serpent Gang suffered was horrendous. "Don''t worry, the boss had already planned this out, but since I just saw how strong he is, I think there might be some revisions for the plan," Ethan said gloomily. Alexander, Zya, and May were walking in the side road. When the two finally looked back and saw that they were not being followed, the two could finally breathe. "Alexander, thank you very much for standing up for us in there. If it weren''t for you, we would have been..." Zya said but stopped. She was fearful from just imagining it. May, who was holding Zya''s hands, let go and looked at Alexander. The three of them then stopped in their tracks. "Alexander, thank you very much for saving my life as well. It was my fault in the first place, and the two of you got involved. I''m very sorry for making trouble for you earlier," she said, feeling regretful for what she did. "Don''t mention it. You''re Zya''s friend," Alexander said, shaking his hand to not mind the past. "So if I''m not Zya''s friend, you will actually not care since what I did is really inhumane," May said as she sighed, feeling remorseful from what she had done to humiliate Alexander. Alexander then wanted to assist them to go home, but Zya had already called her father, sending their driver. He waited with them to make sure no unexpected things would happen. After the driver arrived, they bade their farewell, and Alexander also went home. This time he decided to sleep in his manor. By stopping a taxi, he took a ride in the direction to ''Summit Heights''. After arriving at the entrance of the gate in ''Summit Heights'', the security guard stopped the vehicle. After Kent saw it was Alexander, he opened the gate to let car in. The driver of the taxi was awed and surprised to see this seemingly young man, who he thought is a normal person was actually a rich person in disguise. When it arrived just outside the gate of his manor, he paid like 1,000 Pesos. Then the driver said his thanks, then left the place. The security guard that was specifically assigned to his manor greeted him and opened the gate. After Alexander was inside, he walked his way to his room and took a shower. After wearing his clothes, he did not waste his time and started cultivating using the ''Vital Draw Technique''. Morning passed, and Alexander felt refreshed. He took a shower and went to work for today since it was Monday. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he was walking the path down towards the entrance gate, a Porsche passed by him. Unknown to him, a woman was watching him from a rearview mirror. She couldn''t help but think, "Did someone buy a house? He seems to be so young, and that path where he came down is the only Manor that has been unoccupied for years," she said, but she did not ponder about it and just left the place. Alexander then asked Kent to take him for a ride just below the mountain to take a taxi, but Kent said that he could drive him to his destination, but he disagreed. After taking a ride, he also gave him a tip and stopped a taxi then worked for the day. He served some guests, had fun with Claire, and he also did not see Sophie because she always left when it was time for her tutor. Just like that, morning passed, and tonight is the night, but before that, a message popped up. [FatMerchant69: I''m sorry, ''AlexanderTheGrate.'' I''ve been so busy these 1 day that I missed your message. As compensation, I''ll add another 500 silver coins.] FatMerchant69 sent the message, and soon after, Alexander received 4,700 silver coins. [The Host has received a payment from user ''FatMerchant69'' of 4,700 silver coins. Converting to your currency, you''ve received ''4,700,000 pesos.''] Alexander was surprised and thrilled at the same time, he had just made millions from another transaction. "That guy is seriously loaded with money," he cursed in excitement. "System show me my Status" [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 31 Speed: 26 Defense: 29 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] His status increased after cultivating in that one night, and now he was ready. Suddenly a message panel popped up. [Mission: Saved the Village] [Will be starting in 5, 4, 3, 2... 1] The system counted, then Alexander was illuminated by light, and his face that was serious and excited about what it feels like to go to another world. The he was gone from his room. Chapter 36 - 36 Otherworld As he was slowly swallowed by the light, Alexander found himself in another place. Observing his surroundings, he was surrounded by trees. It was dark since when he looked up, he saw the moon that was in full shape. This made him ponder and also wonder, "Am I really in another world? Why does it seem like this is just a forest, and the terrain and structures of the earth are somehow the same as this?" as he wandered his gaze, trying to find something unique. Suddenly, the system sounded, stopping his mind from wandering about things. [Welcome to the ''Mistveil Island'' located at the 3,378th realm. To assist the Host for this mission, you have been blessed with a title, ''Traveller''] [Title: Traveller Description: This title is granted to the Host only since you possess the ability to travel between realms. It is a unique title, with only one holder across all realms. The bearer of this title gains the ability to understand and communicate in any language, eliminating any language barriers when interacting with others.] Reading this, he felt good somehow. Since he got a good beginners pack to assist him, but there seems to be no changes in him or even like a wave of memory came flooding on him. Thinking that it must not be activated yet, so he put it aside for now. "Well, that was pretty convenient," Alexander thought inwardly. Suddenly, his ears perked up as he shifted his gaze behind him. The place where he was looking right now is surrounded by trees, and it was so dark that his vision can''t pierce it. Then suddenly, a rustle sounded again from the bushes, making him alert. It circled around him, wondering what it was as he kept locking his gaze from where he was hearing the moving sound is. As the sound became closer and louder, suddenly the bush shook, and Alexander was ready. Then the unknown animal puffed out. It was a white rabbit with its eyes glowing red. As it sniffed in a cute way in front of him, Alexander just looked at its actions, couldn''t help but be in awe of how cute and adorable it is. But its size made Alexander think twice before touching it. Since its size is 2x bigger than a normal rabbit, even its claws were sharp as a blade, making him seem more like a predator than a herbivore. Suddenly, its eyes gazed at Alexander, and suddenly, he felt his danger sense shook while looking at its eyes. The rabbit then just took a step back a little, then sprung its body up. It was fast as it flew through the air with its claws up, wanting to pierce Alexander. Alexander, who was prepared for any abnormality, took a sidestepped, dodging the incoming attack as it passed by beside him. Their eyes connected with each other as it flew past him. After landing, it hopped again in Alexander''s direction. It was really fast, like a cheetah in full speed, but Alexander was much faster since he was dodging it with ease. When the rabbit hopped again, aiming for his chest, Alexander decided to counterattack. When it was close, he just kicked it in its jaw using his knee. A heart-stopping crunch echoed through the air as the rabbit''s teeth shattered like glass. Its body flew upward in a violent arc, with its bones breaking with a sickening snap. As it landed on the ground and was about to move, Alexander moved in lightning speed, stomping its chest. With a strong force, his feet caved in to the rabbit''s body, making it puke with blood from its mouth and nose, and another sound of broken bones and flesh was heard. The rabbit could not handle the pain anymore, finally it stopped moving, clearly lifeless on the ground. Alexander just looked at this with a cold expression, but his hands were trembling, but inside him, his emotion was calm. "So, this is actually the true purposed of this. Even though this is my first time killing a living animal, it somehow made me feel I''m used to it," Alexander thought inwardly as he looked at his shaking hands. He slowly turned them into a fist, and finally he calmed down, as he looked at the dead rabbit in front of him. [You just killed a ''Loomhopper''. You''ve gained 9 exp.] Hearing this, his emotion from killing the rabbit that was still lingering inside his heart vanished. "There''s actually such a thing, system why did you not tell me?" he cursed inwardly. [Host, please don''t blame the system. Since It''s not my fault you''re so stupid. Don''t you read a lot of novels and animes that leveled up by killing beasts and animals? Didn''t this idea even come to your head just once?] The system replied, after hearing his cursing word inside his mind. Alexander, hearing this, couldn''t help but be embarrassed. The system was right. He wasn''t exploring the capabilities of the system, making him not know that it actually had this function. [Congratulations for killing your first beast in the other world, you have unlocked the ''Catalogue'', a detailed archive of creatures, plants, and items.] [Catalogue Description: This is a hidden system function, unlocked only after meeting a specific requirements. After defeating a beast or gathering plants and items, the Catalogue will automatically scan and appraise them, revealing their skills, effects, and other properties.] Then above the buttons in the system panel, another button was added, and the name ''Catalogue'' was etched on it. Alexander was really surprised that he actually unlocked one of the system''s new functions. Suddenly, the system panel and a holographic light began to scan the dead rabbit. After just a few seconds, it was added to the catalogue, and it was recorded in the book. which the cover is name ''3,378th Archive''. After clicking the book with its name on it in the panel, there are three buttons once again: Beast, Plant, and Items. Of course, he clicked Beast. Then he saw there was one record, and it was the image of the ''Loomhopper''. Clicking it, the information about the beast he just killed appeared in front of him. [Loomhopper Description: Don''t be deceived by its adorable and cute appearance, cause this beast is actually quite dangerous. While its physical strength is low, its speed and senses are exceptionally sharp, allowing it to hear a mosquito from 30 meters away from its current location depending on their level. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. You can anticipate its attack when it begins to back off slightly before springing toward its opponent, catching them off guard. The beast''s level is indicated by the color of its eyes: red represents the lowest tier, yellow indicates the second strongest, and the most formidable is the Loomhopper, which possesses a striking blue eyes and a horn on its head. It stands between 5 to 10 meters tall and boast a power level of 50 or above.] Reading this, Alexander was flabbergasted. The one he slayed is actually the weakest, but its speed is already beyond normal, and for the strongest rabbit, I mean Loomhopper, is actually around level 50 or above. Alexander thought with an impending doom on where he was standing right now is actually dangerous. "I''m still currently at level 4, and now there''s a level 50 beast that is wandering this forest. Are you serious?" he furrowed his brows while, cursing inwardly. But suddenly, there''s another rustling sound, and about six beasts jumped from the bush and came into his view. It has gray fur, sharp teeth, and its eyes were menacing as it could be. Chapter 37 - 37 Unlocking something new Alexander, who was cornered, racked his brains when suddenly the leader of the pack of wolves pounced on him. It rushes forward, its speed was fast as it opened its jaws again with excitement on its face. Seeing this, Alexander could not help but find this chance to counterattack. As the face of the wolf was closing on him, Alexander decided to confront it. When it was within range, Alexander held its opened jaw with all his strength. His back was now connected to the tree, as he held its mouth from the lower and upper part. "System add all the free points in strength," Alexander commanded inwardly. [Affirmative Host] Then he suddenly felt an increase in power. The wolf, who was grinning from ear to ear, as he increased his power into its bite force. But suddenly, he felt that his opponent seems to become stronger. He saw that the human in front of him was looking at him with a malicious grin on its face, a forbidding doom came washing within him. Its fur stood up on its end as he felt his mouth was being forced to widen. The wolf struggled and wanted to escape, but Alexander did not let him escape. His companions behind him wanted to help, but when they pounced on Alexander, he just snorted and kicked the two wolves in the face, making them roll back on the ground. Alexander looked at the wolf in front of him, meeting its eyes. It was filled with fear as he looked at Alexander. "You could have won if you weren''t so arrogant. As the leader of this group, you made the wrong decision to attack me alone," Alexander said, his voice dripping with wrath, his blue eyes ablaze with murderous intent. His companions behind him wanted to help, but they can''t stop Alexander, whose eyes are full of madness, and they are too weak to fight the human in front of him and saved their leader. Because during their attack earlier, their leader is the one who came to save them whenever Alexander wanted to counterattack. Making Alexander to retreat, but now that their leader is captured, it''s hard for them to have a confrontation towards Alexander. He then gripped the wolf''s massive jaw, digging his fingers into its flesh until blood began to drip down to his elbows. He carried it upwards, making the wolf struggle when he felt his feet are not on the ground anymore. With a fierce expression, Alexander applied more force, stretching the jaw open in the opposite direction. With the sound of flesh being teared and the wolf''s howl in pain, the wolf can''t do anything but let Alexander do his thing, it was fully stretched as blood began to spew. When it was fully stretched the wolf stop his struggle, feeling no movement Alexander throw its body making it fall on the ground as it shook. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 202 exp.] Hearing this and knowing what kind of animal it is, Alexander then moved his gaze towards the remaining saberwolves. Who are looking at him full of fear, they step back when they sensed his gaze and its lustfulness to kill. Seeing this, Alexander tightened his brows and rushed towards them. Since they planned to kill him in the first place, killing them is also the right choice, he thought inwardly. The wolves, seeing him rushing forward, turned their backs, which is a grave mistake. Before they could even run, Alexander stomped the first saberwolf with his foot. The power within his leg was strong because when it hit the wolves'' back, it pinned him down on the ground. It even caved in as cracks formed on the ground. Seeing another companion in front of them die in just a few seconds, they were scared shitless. The human in front of them is so ruthless and strong, just like a devil itself. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 89 exp.] [You just leveled up.] Alexander did not put his attention on the system announcement and rushed to rest. When he appeared to the second one, he kicked it with full force as it whistled through the air. He hit its head, which broke its skull and damaged its brain, unaliving it. He then appeared to the rest in the speed of light, they even tried to struggle but how can their strength be able to match Alexander that is like a grim reaper killing them one by one. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 78 exp.] [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 82 exp.] [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 79 exp.] [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 81 exp.] When only one remaining, this is the first time for the predator, the hunter of the night, felt true fear, seeing Alexander''s menacing eyes. It was trembling in fear as its senses screamed to escape and flee, but it seems to be frozen in its place. Alexander then teleported in front of the wolf, holding it by its neck. The saberwolf struggled as it howled in pain. But Alexander, who was filled with coldness, looked at him with the smile of a devil, seeming like he was enjoying it. He then strengthened his grip as a snapping sound was heard. Alexander just broke its neck. The saberwolf could only look at the human who killed him without any challenge at all. Then finally, he eliminated all of the saberwolves. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 89 exp.] [You just level up.] [Congratulations for reaching level 5 Host, to enhance the host ability, you have unlocked new attributes: Agility, Intelligence, and Dexterity.] [Intelligence: The ability to think critically, solve problems, and understand complex concepts like cultivation techniques or magic. A max Intelligence score allows the host to plan ahead in battle, solve intricate puzzles, or comprehend techniques or skills much faster. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dexterity: The precision and control of fine movements improving its accuracy, such as wielding delicate weapons, crafting, or even skills related to aiming, such as shooting or throwing. High Dexterity enables the Host to be nimble with their hands, execute flawless techniques, and react with precision in high-pressure situations. Agility: measures how quickly and smoothly a person can move, dodge, and react in combat or tricky situations. High Agility can dodge attacks with ease, perform acrobatic feats, and react quickly to unexpected threats. Reading this, he couldn''t help but feel nimble all of a sudden, and even the flexibility of his movement seems to have improved. For his intelligence, there seems to be no problem, since he was smart in the first place. [Yeah right] The system responded sarcastically, hearing his inside thoughts. Then it scanned the saberwolf in front of him, so Alexander can take a look of its information. [Scanning complete] [Saberwolf Description: A beast in the forest known for its great hunting skills and teamwork when hunting prey. This beast was not a problem if they were alone, but if they are in a group, it will be a disaster. This beast split up from their pack to hunt more food. Whenever one of the group died, they received a signal using their bloodline, ''Bloodflare Kin'', which stimulates their blood and can use this to locate the location of the dead body and avenge their kind. If a person would have killed a whole group, he must escape or it will be too late, since they are everywhere in the forest.] Alexander, reading the information was stupefied, "There''s actually such a thing," he twitched his lips with his jaw clenched, while observing his surroundings. That''s when he heard a rustle and a lot of footsteps from all directions, making his eyes flutter. He knew that he can''t escape now, since they have already surrounded him from all directions. He has been standing here for about 15 minutes now, giving its pack a good amount of time to already surround him. Then Alexander, who''s in the center, was encircled by a lot of saberwolves. He was like a vegetable on a chopping board, ready to be devoured at any moment. He felt his scalp went numb, and the hair on his body stood. Alexander had no confidence if he can survive this, since back in his world, there were only humans that can''t let him feel what true danger is. But this world made him realize how weak he is in front of the so-called danger, since danger is everywhere in this world. But even though he was really scared, a smile could not help but spread across his face. Alexander didn''t know why is this happening, but he felt that the more he was in danger, the happier he was, not knowing the reason why. When he killed the Loomhopper, he felt really bad and guilty, but his personality seems to shift, a massive turn he could not help but want to experience the feeling of killing again. "System, add all of my free points to Agility," Alexander mumbled in a low voice as he took a stance. He felt that agility is a great choice, since it can improve his ability to move fluidly and enhance his flexibility to dodge their attacks. Since in front of him were a lot of saberwolves that filled the place. There are even red glowing eyes in the dark that their gaze is only at him. It was uncountable and must be around 100 or even above than that. "Come," Alexander shouted with a taunt as he leaped forward. This time he will test his endurance and skills, since dying will not really kill him, so this made him be able to act unrestrained. The saberwolves, seeing his movement, rushed at him in all directions. It''s like a swarm of big mosquitoes going after him. Chapter 38 - 38 The figth that lasted until tomorrow The saberwolves circled him, their glowing red eyes fixated on Alexander. Their snarls filled the air, and he could feel the tension rising. There had to be a hundred of them, their dark forms moving like shadows in the night, closing in on him. He clenched his fists, feeling the pulse of adrenaline shoot through his body. His heart raced, but the thrill of the fight washed away any fear. "System, add all of my free points to Agility," Alexander muttered. His body responded immediately, his movements becoming sharper and faster. But agility alone wouldn''t be enough. He''d need to rely on his skill, ''Serpent''s Coil'', to survive the onslaught. With a taunting grin, Alexander shouted, "Come!" His voice echoed through the forest as the wolves charged at him from all sides. The first wolf lunged, its claws aiming at his chest. Alexander reacted instinctively, sidestepping just in time, his body moving with great fluidity. He spun around the beast''s large frame, his arms coiling around its neck like a serpent. With a quick twist, he locked the wolf in place, immobilizing it. The beast thrashed and snapped its jaws in frustration, but Alexander''s grip was unyielding. With a powerful jerk, he slammed the wolf to the ground, its body hitting the earth with a dull thud. [You just killed a ''Saberwolf''. You''ve gained 62 EXP.] Alexander noticed the drop in experience points after his recent level-up, but there was no time to dwell on it. He quickly turned off the notifications, switching them to silent mode. Before he could catch his breath, three more wolves had already lunged at him. He ducked, narrowly avoiding a set of snapping jaws, and twisted his body to the side. His hands shot out like a striking viper, ensnaring another wolf by its hind leg. Using its momentum, he swung the beast into the others, knocking them off balance. Another wolf leaped toward him, with its massive form casting a shadow over him. With quick reflexes, Alexander rolled beneath it, letting the beast sail harmlessly over him. As it landed, he leaped up, coiling his arms around its torso and locking it like how a serpent caught its prey. The wolf snarled and thrashed, but Alexander''s grip was like iron. He twisted his body, using the technique to choke the air out of the beast, and with a final push, threw it to the ground. His body was moving fast, but the wolves weren''t slowing down. More of them came their numbers were overwhelming. Alexander ducked and weaved between their strikes, narrowly avoiding claws and fangs. His Agility allowed him to dance around their attacks, but he was tiring, and the wolves were relentless. Another wolf lunged from his left, and Alexander spun on his heel, catching it mid-air. His arms wrapped around its neck in a swift, fluid motion, the Serpent''s Coil technique flowing naturally through his muscles. He twisted, using the wolf''s own weight to slam it into the ground, the impact shaking the earth beneath him. But before he could even catch his breath another again, another wolf was already charging. He felt a sharp pain shoot up his leg as a wolf''s claws raked across his thigh. Alexander winced as he stumbled back. His Agility allowed him to stay on his feet, but the wound was deep passing his defense, blood trickling down his leg. He clenched his jaw, refusing to let the pain slow him down. Panting, he backed up against a tree, momentarily surrounded. The wolves, sensing his weakness, circled him, their snarls growing louder. Alexander''s muscles ached, his breaths shallow and ragged, but he wasn''t done yet. He couldn''t be. "This is just the beginning" he roared. With a surge of adrenaline, he charged forward, meeting the wolves head-on. His movements were a blur as he ducked under their claws and wrapped his arms around the neck of the largest wolf in the pack. With his technique by using his technique again, his body twisting and coiling like a snake as he immobilized the beast, tearing the joints connecting its head and body, until it fell limp. But the rest of the pack wasn''t waiting. Another wolf pounced on him from behind, its claws digging into his back. Alexander gasped in pain, but with a swift roll, he dislodged the wolf and held its long big arms disabling it. His boot slammed into the saber wolf''s gut, a sound like a cracked ribcage echoing through the clearing. The beast let out a guttural roar, its eyes burning with pain, its legs buckling under the force of the blow. It flew like a bullet hitting the tree bark. He was panting heavily now, his body starting to slow down from exhaustion. His Agility gave him the speed to dodge, but the sheer number of wolves was wearing him down. They weren''t just fast, they were relentless. His muscles were sore, his reflexes growing duller by the second. But even so, Alexander grinned. "Come on," he growled with a wide smile on his face, his voice barely above a whisper as he stared down the remaining wolves. His body ached, blood dripped from his wounds, but he wasn''t backing down. The saberwolves charged again, but this time, Alexander was ready. He braced himself for the onslaught, but luck was on his side as a notification flashed before him. [You have leveled up.] Instantly, his injuries began to heal, restoring 50% of his health and replenishing half of his energy. His strength surged, and as a final blessing, a new title appeared in his system. [After slaying multiple saberwolves, you''ve acquired the title. ''Saberwolf Slayer.''] [Title: Saberwolf Slayer Description: +15% increased damage against saberwolves and wolf-type beasts.] Alexander quickly scanned the effects of his new title before pouncing on the remaining saberwolves. As the first wolf came into range, he unleashed a powerful palm strike, crushing its skull and forcing its head to fold into its body. Blood sprayed as the wolf''s corpse flew like a cannonball, crashing into its packmates. More wolves lunged at him, but Alexander moved like a god of war, effortlessly countering each attack with precise and deadly force. Alexander shaped his fingers like a blade and thrust them into the stomach of the oncoming wolf. It let out a pained growl as he swiftly followed up with a powerful kick, sending the beast tumbling like a rolling tire. He remained rooted to his spot, hands moving with deadly precision. Each strike brought down another beast, and slowly, their lifeless bodies began to pile up around him, rising until they covered half of his frame. Alexander hadn''t run out of energy, thanks to the continuous leveling up from killing the saberwolves. However, that didn''t mean he was unscathed. His back was covered in claw marks, deep enough to be hard to heal. At one point, a wolf even sank its teeth into his neck, but thanks to his boosted defense, the bite didn''t pierce through. Still, it left a red mark that throbbed with pain. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a grimace, Alexander gripped the saberwolf by the forehead, his fingers digging deep into its skull until they punctured a hole, killing it instantly. His body was drenched in blood, his eyes glowing cold and red. The grin on his face widened with every kill, while his killing intent surged like a tidal wave, spreading over a 20-meter radius. The saberwolves could feel the human before them growing more terrifying with every passing moment. He had already slaughtered nearly a hundred of their kind, yet he showed no signs of slowing down. Their courage began to waver. But as the bodies of their fallen kind littered the ground, their fear was overtaken by a burning sense of pride and the thirst for revenge. With deep fury, they charged at Alexander, who stood like a god of death, annihilating their fellow kin with every sweep of his relentless attacks. "Hahaha! Come, you beasts! Kill me if you can!" Alexander roared into the forest, laughing madly as he fought for his life. He couldn''t quite grasp what he was feeling, it is an insatiable thirst for blood, a rising tide of murderous intent with every saberwolf he slaughtered. Each kill only fueled the fire within him. Crushing their skulls under his boot, tearing their hearts from their chests in gruesome displays of violence, it was very exhilarating. His killing intent thickened with every strike, becoming so dense it was almost palpable in the air. Around him, the lifeless bodies of the saberwolves piled higher and higher, until they formed a grotesque mountain of death. [Warning: The Host''s desire for bloodshed is increasing...] [You have acquried a new skill, ''Berserker Instict''] [Skill: Berserker Instinct [First Tier] Description: As your lust for killing rises, your strength increases by 10% -50%, while nearby enemies can sense your bloodthirst, making weaker foes hesitate or flee. But at the cost of clarity and control. Prolonged combat will lead to a frenzy state, where distinguishing friend from foe becomes difficult.] His killing intent spread outwards, enveloping a radius of at least 50 meters. Any saberwolf that entered this range trembled in fear, their eyes were wide with terror as they gazed upon Alexander, who appeared to them like a merciless butcher. Driven by vengeance, they charged at him regardless, but their courage was waning. With each passing moment, their momentum faded, turning them into mere sheep delivering themselves to the wolf. Alexander who was grinning and laughing, was lost in an absolute frenzy. He was completely out of control, and his killing intent thickened and intensified with each passing moment of his rampage. The saberwolves, once driven by revenge, were now fully terrified, the fire of their vengeance flickered and dimmed. They looked at Alexander as if he were a god, wanting nothing more than to flee. But Alexander, smiling like a devil, had transformed into the hunter, pursuing them one by one. His speed surged beyond anything he had shown before, and his strength had drastically improved. When he struck a fleeing saberwolf at the waist, it flew through the air, crashing into a tree with such force that it snapped upon impact. "Ahhh!" he shouted as his killing intent surged, expanding to cover a radius of at least 100 meters. Many saberwolves couldn''t withstand this heavy pressure, as they fainted on the ground, leaving Alexander to decapacitate them effortlessly. Just then, a ray of sunlight pierced through the forest canopy, illuminating the scene. Alexander was revealed, seated atop a mountain of corpses. His blue pupils glowed red, though they gradually began to shift back to their original hue, signaling a flicker of control returning to his actions. The light of the sun shone on his face that was filled with blood, even his hair was draped with red making it look like crimson blood. Alexander could not help but balled his fist from his actions. "That skill is really dangerous; it felt like I wasn''t myself anymore," Alexander murmured, recalling the cruelty that had consumed him during that time. "Is this the real me?" he questioned, gazing upward as if addressing his own inner demons. With an unwavering breath, he opened the skill''s interface, eager to understand its effects. He knew he had to regain control before losing himself completely. Chapter 39 - 39 Passive investment Hey everyone! I''m so sorry for the delay in updates. I''ve been under the weather recently, but I''m feeling much better now and ready to get back to writing. Expect 2-3 new chapters starting tomorrow! -- Author. With a flick of his wrist, Alexander summoned the system interface, a holographic display shimmering before him. His fingers danced across the system interface, after finally seeing the skills, he clicked on it. [Skill: Berserker Instinct [First Tier] Description: As your lust for killing rises, your strength increases by 10%-50%, while nearby enemies can sense your bloodthirst, making weaker foes hesitate or flee. But at the cost of clarity and control. Prolonged combat will lead to a frenzy state, where distinguishing friend from foe becomes difficult.] As Alexander read the information, he couldn''t help but feel the danger lurking within the skill. If he ever decided to kill again, his desire to do so would surge, threatening to overwhelm him completely. However, he noticed the phrase "First Tier" at the end of its description, recalling that ''Heart of Stone'' had a similar designation. "System, can you explain why there is a ''First Tier'' in my skill?" Alexander asked, genuinely curious about the significance of this level designation. [For skills, each has its own levels. The First Tier is the starting point; the higher the tier, the stronger the skill. Leveling up a skill allows it to evolve, enhancing its effects and abilities. However, each skill has unique requirements; the rarer the skill, the harder it is to level up.] Hearing the system''s explanation, Alexander nodded. "But what are the requirements?" he thought inwardly. "System, can you show me the requirements for ''Berserker Instinct''?" he asked. [First Tier -> Second Tier] [Quest: Trial of Bloodlust] Description: To evolve Berserker Instinct to the next tier, you must embrace your bloodlust while maintaining control. Your ability to balance power and clarity will be put to the ultimate test. Quest Requirements: Slay a beast that is above level 30. [0/100] Slay a spirit beast. [0/5] Master the art of killing intent. [0/1] As he read the requirements, Alexander couldn''t help but be taken aback, the quest to promote the skill seemed incredibly hard to accomplish. like literally, killing level 30 beasts felt like an insurmountable challenge. After battling the saberwolves, the strongest he had faced was only level 9, and that had been a significant struggle. He was puzzled by the mention of a spirit beast and had no idea what "mastering the art of killing intent" meant. "System, could you explain what a spirit beast is and clarify what you mean by mastering the art of killing intent?" Alexander inquired again. [A spirit beast is a creature that has cultivated for years accumulating a lot of energy from the heaven, evolving into a being with human-like consciousness. It can think and act like a human, possessing unique powers that emerge after evolution. Spirit beasts are typically around level 50 or above, similar to the strongest Loomhopper in your catalogue. Some of them even have extraordinary traits, such as the ability to breathe fire like a dragon depending on their evolution.] [As for the requirements of mastering the art of killing intent, it is up to you, the host, to discover what that tells.] After the system delivered its last statement, it disappeared, leaving Alexander scratching his head in confusion. Achieving the remaining requirements felt really a challenge for him and it would likely take an unknown amount of time. Now, he also had to figure out how to utilize his killing intent. Was it just a matter of releasing it, or was there more to it than meets the eye? After pondering for a while, Alexander decided to inquire about his other skill, "Heart of Stone." [Quest: Trial of the Heart] Description: To evolve Heart of Stone to the next tier, the host must undergo trials that test your emotional resilience. Quest requirements: Confront the past. [0/1] Resist Emotional Manipulation. [0/1] As Alexander read this, he couldn''t help but reflect on the complexity of emotions. This quest was truly about confronting his past. The anger toward his family lingered, and even the thought of their abandonment stirred deep resentment within him. After enduring years of suffering without any support, he did not even received calls, no messages asking if he was okay, he felt like he was just a trash being thrown at. It was as if he had been deemed a burden, someone whose death would not matter even if they are in front of him. The weight of that realization pressed heavily on his heart. Shifting his thoughts, Alexander glanced at the second requirement, curious about what another quest might entail. However, he was too bored to ask, realizing that this skill was centered solely on emotions and offered no powerups or buffs. He decided it was better not to dwell on it too much. "System show me my status" Alexander commanded. [Status Experience: 38/12,000 Name: Alexander Free Points: 14 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 11 Strength: 39 Speed: 37 Agility: 39 Dexterity: 27 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 39 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] Alexander looking at his stats, could not help furrowed his brows when he noticed that his earnings had not increased. Clicking on the panel, he saw a paused status displayed. "System, why is my earning generator paused?" Alexander inquired, confused about why his passive income was frozen. [The reason is that the host is currently engaged in missions, and this is not considered idling at all. But don''t worry, your earnings will accumulate for the duration of your stay in this place.] The system replied to his question, but then something caught Alexander''s eye. As he scrolled through the panel, he discovered an unlocked sticker labeled. [Unlocked after reaching level 10] Curious, he clicked the unlock button. He heard the sound of chains clanking, which made him nod in appreciation at the system''s special effects. In response, a new money generator appeared on the screen. [Passive Investments: Stock Market Simulation] Stock Market (Level 1): Invest any amount to earn 1% per hour passively. Stock Market Earnings {Level 1}: Increased percentage by 1% will cost around 500,000 pesos. Real Estate (Level 1): Invest 100,000 pesos to earn 5% per day. Real Estate Earnings {Level 1}: Increased percentage by 2% will cost around 1,000,000 pesos. Increased Real Estate Investment {Level 1}: Increased Maximum investment to 200,000 pesos will cost around 500,000 pesos. Alexander''s eyes widened with excitement at this new function. With this upgrade, he realized that making money wouldn''t be a challenge anymore and it will be easy as plucking apples from a tree, he could even generate millions in just a month or even less than that. He eagerly anticipated the next locked function, which would unlock at level 20. However, he noticed that the generator was paused, and he couldn''t upgrade it yet. With a sigh of disappointment, he resigned himself to waiting for it to accumulate a good amount of money while he continued his mission. Suddenly, Alexander caught a foul odor reminiscent of dead fish emanating from himself. He felt sticky from the sweat and blood of covering him like a pain, and the claw marks lining his back and chest throbbed were so vivid that if he does not drink any magical things to heal it. When it will be healed by itself, the aftereffects of it will remain as his trophy in his first mission. Standing up from the pile of saberwolf corpses, he jumped down to the ground. As he contemplated leaving the area, his stomach grumbled, reminding him of his hunger. Alexander suddenly remembered something important and smacked his face in frustration. "I can''t believe I forgot something so important! The snacks and water I was supposed to buy for this mission. I totally forgot!" he exclaimed, feeling incredibly stupid for such a simple oversight. He was supposed to restock on supplies before accompanying Zya that night, but he''d completely forgotten. This was a real problem, as he didn''t know if these saberwolves, or any of the other beasts in this area, were even edible. He pushed down his cravings to eat the corpse and decided to find a river to take a shower. After taking a few turns, his ears picked up the sound of flowing water. He picked up his pace and finally found a river. The water was clean and seemed uninfected by germs or bacteria. It was so spotless, that it even reflected his bloody face. He took off his clothes. Since they were already ruined, it was ripped on both the back and front like it was wore for years. If he wore them now, he''d look like a beggar that had no money to buy clothes. Luckily, his shorts hadn''t been attacked by the saberwolves, showing that they weren''t entirely shameless. Alexander then cleaned himself in the river, washing away the blood that clung to him like mud. He spent a while cleaning himself and decided that was enough for now. Stepping out of the flowing water, he decided to find the village Ariana to complete his mission and leave this world for good. After walking back into the forest, he saw a single-path road in the middle of the forest. He assumed this must be the road leading to the village. Since his system couldn''t help him locate the place, he decided to explore it himself. Taking this road, it was quiet, and the only sound he could hear was the chirping of birds. It wasn''t dark, because the leaves of the trees weren''t really covering the road. But the sides were a little creepy, filled with trees and tall grasses, making it a perfect place for an ambush. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was just thinking about how good this place would be for an ambush when he suddenly saw a group of people blocking the road, staring at him with big grins on their faces. Alexander couldn''t help but feel excited. He''d found locals! With their help, he could finally find out where Ariana, the village, was located. Chapter 40 - 40 Knowledge about the world. In front of him were ten men standing before him, clad in thick leather armor. Their boots, also of leather, thudded heavily on the ground. Each man held a weapon ¨C a gleaming metal sword in one hand, and the others are an axe. Their eyes, narrowed with greed and were fixed on Alexander figure. He couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows in surprised. This world, he thought that it was going to be different. He''d imagined the inhabitants would be green skinned, with six hands and oversized eyes. Instead, he was facing a group of men who looked surprisingly like the people from his world. "Kid, if you want to live, you better give us everything you have and we''ll let you go," the big man growled, his axe pointed menacingly at him. Alexander narrowed his gaze, with a smirk playing on his lips. Is this guy an idiot. "Can''t you see I''m not carrying any bags? I don''t even have anything valuable on me. What am I supposed to give you if I have nothing in the first place?" he replied, enjoying the man''s frustration. Alexander, with no hint of panic in his eyes, raised his leg and delivered a powerful kick to the man''s abdomen. The impact reverberated with a sickening crunch, as if flesh had collided with iron. The man''s face turned ghostly pale, his expression frozen in shock, as if the very soul inside him had been knocked loose. His body shot through the air like a broken kite, slamming into a nearby tree with a bone-jarring thud. The force of the impact caved the trunk slightly, pinning him in place like a torn poster on a wall. His eyes were dull and lifeless, blood streaming from his nose and mouth. The fabric of his clothes, where Alexander''s kick had landed, was shredded, hanging in tatters as he remained motionless, a grim testament to the overwhelming strength he had just tooked. "A warrior?" Alexander pondered, wondering what he was talking about. Alexander shifted his gaze to the large man wielding an axe. The instant their eyes met, terror gripped the man, his bravado crumbling. His accomplices, sensing the danger, fled without a second thought, they are desperately trying to distance themselves from the monster in front of them. The big man with the axe was no different, his instinct screamed at him to run. But before he could take a single step, Alexander vanished from sight. A cold shiver ran down the man''s spine as he realized the kid was no longer where he had stood. His heart pounded violently in his chest, panic clawing at his mind as he felt a presence behind him. With a wild grunt, the man stepped back and swung his axe in a wide arc, twisting his body with all his strength to gather momentum. His muscles bulged as the axe cut through the air, aimed to cleave Alexander in two. Alexander watched as the massive blade of the axe swung toward him with deadly force, but with a casual flick, he raised his hand and caught the axe between his two fingers. The man stared in disbelief as Alexander smiled and quipped, "Oopsies." Panic gripped the big man. His fingers trembled as he released the axe, abandoning it to flee for his life. He spun on his heel, desperately trying to run. Alexander who was unfazed, crouched down and picked up a small pebble. With a relaxed yet calculated movement, he placed the pebble between his fingers, aimed as if holding an invisible gun, and let out a soft ''phew''. The pebble shot through the air like a bullet, striking the back of the man''s head with a sharp thud. The man stumbled forward, his legs giving out beneath him, before crashing face-first into the ground. A smirk tugged at the corner of Alexander''s lips as he admired his handiwork. He never expected his aim will be that good. "Is this the effect of dexterity?" he mused deep down, his voice laced with curiosity as he approached the fallen man with slow and steady steps, while his fingers brushing against the heavy axe that now lay at his arms. "Don''t move, or I''ll kill you right here, right now," Alexander warned, his voice was cold and unyielding. This time, his killing intent was fully focused on the man. "Please, don''t kill me! I''m sorry if I offended you. I will never do it again," the big man with the axe whimpered, his voice breaking between sobs. Tears streamed down on his face, mixing with the snot running into his mouth as he choked on his words, utterly consumed by fear. Alexander stared at the man, momentarily speechless at the pathetic display of surrendering. He sighed, his hand still casually gripping the large axe. "You''re already a big man. Stop crying, or I swear I''ll drop this axe and chop you in two," he warned, his voice was cold but laced with a hint of exasperation. The man sobbed harder, shaking uncontrollably, but made an effort to stifle his cries, desperately trying to avoid further provoking the one who held his fate. He then raised his head and looked at Alexander with great fear. Vladimir''s eyes flickered with confusion, "Aren''t you a warrior? Why don''t you know anything about this?" he muttered to himself, afraid of offending cruel man in front of him again. "A warrior is a kind of person who can feel the energy in the surrounding area. They harness this energy to strengthen themselves, giving them a boost in strength and powers. For the levels, we have: Beginner Stage, Initiate Stage, Adept Stage, Warrior Stage, Battle Master Stage, Grandmaster Stage, Ascendant Stage, and Saint Stage. This is what differentiate a warrior by their status." Vladimir explained recounting the structure of this world. Alexander nodded, still pondering because of the system''s lack of clarity about his actual standing in his world. It displayed his level, but he had no real point of comparison, as it seemed detached from the rankings that governed even this world. He wondered if there were others like him, strong, hidden figures lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves. "So, if I may ask, what level am I right now?" Alexander repeated, his gaze shifting toward the big man. Vladimir, the man who was kneeling, pondered. He furrowed his brow, clearly thinking hard, before finally answering, "I¡ªI don''t really know, Master. I''ve never encountered warriors like you before. They''re rare, the kind of people you hear stories about, but never see. And if we ever did meet one, we''d be running for our lives. Your presence and identity... well, they''re far beyond what a small gang like us could ever dare to offend." Alexander sighed, already knowing the response he was about to receive. "Alright then, last question, where is the village of Ariana located?" Vladimir, still shaken, pointed toward a narrow path. "This road leads straight to Village Ariana. Just keep going, and you''ll find it, but... it''ll take about two days on foot. The place is really far, and you don''t have a carriage or even a Veil Essence Lamp to mask your scent from the beasts lurking in this forest." "Veil Essence Lamp?" Alexander asked, curiosity was clear in his voice. He felt like a newborn calf in this world, constantly needing to ask basic questions just to get by. Vladimir blinked rapidly, speechless for a moment, "Isn''t this just common knowledge? Even a kid knows what it is..." he thought but didn''t dare voice his frustrations. "Veil essence lamp It''s a small, ornate lantern infused with special herbs and crystals. When lit, it emits a subtle mist that not only conceals the scent of the person but also masks the presence of any living beings within. Merchants used this to attach it to their carriages, ensuring a smooth journey without attracting unwanted attention from beasts. Its soft, glowing light is said to soothe even the most restless spirits." he explained again. Alexander nodded, feeling that his understanding of this world was slowly expanding. "Do you have this lamp?" he asked, his gaze sweeping over Vladimir, as if searching for hidden treasures. Vladimir quickly shook his head, "No, I don''t. Beast attacks are rare during the day, so I keep mine at our base. We mostly use it at night when it''s more dangerous." "I see. Well, that''s about it. You can leave now," Alexander said, rising to his feet and turning his back on the man. Vladimir on the ground wasted no time. He scrambled to his feet, with heart racing but starting to calm down now that the danger seemed to have passed. Just as he was about to run, Alexander''s voice cut through the air once more, it was cold and sharp. "Also, if I ever see you involved in this kind of practice again..." Alexander''s voice trailed off as he slightly turned his head, his gaze was dark and menacing at the same time, like that of a grim reaper. "You''ll be the first human I kill." Vladimir stood frozen, his body trembling uncontrollably. The weight of Alexander''s words pressed down on him, the cold promise of death seeping into his bones. Without another thought, he bolted, not even daring to glance back. His breath came in ragged gasps as he darted into the dense forest, weaving between the trees, his heart pounding in his chest. "Hekk..." he muttered under his breath, nodding to himself as if to confirm that he had narrowly escaped with his life. Meanwhile, Alexander turned his gaze toward the long road ahead. The path stretched on, leading him toward the village of Ariana, where his mission awaited. Without hesitation, he took his first step forward, his pace was steady and purposeful, leaving the chaos behind as he continued his journey. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 41 - 41 In another world, from the otherworld Alexander had just begun his journey, and after walking for an hour, he realized he had forgotten something. "Did I forget that I''m hungry?" he wondered inwardly, as his stomach grumbled, reminding him of his hunger. He could not help but smacked his head and decided to leave the road and look for a pond or river. The people in this world seemed to be the same as him, so maybe eating their food is an exception. Leaving the trail, he went into the woods again. Tall, greenery trees towered above him, their dense canopies blocking out most of the sunlight. The air grew cooler and damp with the scent of moss and decaying leaves. Strangely, the plants were the same in his world just like grass for example. With luminescent petals glowed softly in the underbrush, casting an otherworldly light. He could hear the distant chirping of unseen bird, and the rustle of leaves as small animals scurried about. The deeper he ventured, the thicker the foliage became, wrapping him in an almost oppressive embrace. Thanks to his incredible agility, he could effortlessly navigate through the dense and rugged forest. Thick trees, entangled vines, and stubborn bushes posed no obstacle to him. He moved with the fluid grace of a serpent, slipping through the narrowest gaps and twisting paths with ease. His heightened senses guided him through the undergrowth, making his passage almost silent and seemingly effortless, as if the forest itself was parting to let him through. "Is this how it felt to be a serpent?" he wondered aloud. [No], the system replied bluntly. "I''m not talking to you," Alexander shot back, his face livid with a mocking expression. The system then disappeared, allowing Alexander to continue his journey. The forest was dimly lit, with the sun tightly covered by the dense canopy of leaves. After a few minutes of struggling through thick trees, entangled vines, and stubborn bushes, they began to thin out. Finally, he saw a light. As he sped up his pace, he found himself before a breathtaking scene. Multiple waterfalls cascaded down lush, green cliffs into a clear, turquoise pool of water, its surface shimmering in the sunlight. Dense vegetation surrounded the area, with trees and plants adding to the serene atmosphere. The water was so clear that he could see the bottom of the pool, adding to the surreal beauty of the scene. It was a hidden paradise that seemed almost too perfect to be real. Alexander was in awe of this place. It was so magnificent and beautiful that words couldn''t define it. It was as if he had stepped into another world and was inside of another world. Walking to the rocky shore of the pond, he took off his slipper and dived in. He could see the fish swimming gracefully, their scales radiant and pearlescent white, and there were so many of them. The clarity of the water only heightened the surreal beauty of the scene. When Alexander jumped in, the fish in the pond scattered, trying to swim away. But Alexander was faster. He swam to the nearest fish and caught it with his bare hands. The fish was larger than expected, with peerless white scales and fins so smooth he didn''t feel any prickle. Its gills were puffed, making it look even cuter, while its shining pectoral fins constantly moved in a frantic attempt to escape Alexander''s grasp. The fish''s radiant beauty was mesmerizing, and Alexander couldn''t help but marvel at the exquisite creature he held in his hands. Seeing how cute it was, Alexander gritted his teeth and let go, even though he was really hungry. He couldn''t bring himself to eat that cute fish. After letting go, the fish didn''t swim away but looked at Alexander with its big, cute eyes. It swam between his legs in an appealing way, making Alexander smile from its actions. Deciding he couldn''t eat such charming creatures, he resolved to find some fruits instead of eating the fish. After swimming to the shore, his feet finally touched the rocky water, and half of his body was no longer draped in the water. Suddenly, just across the pond, he heard a splash, indicating someone had made contact with the water. Alexander turned his head and could not believe what he saw. This was the first time he had witnessed such a breathtaking beauty. The woman stood at the edge of the pond, feeding the fish. Her flowing white dress adorned with intricate gold accents showing an otherworld regal style. The dress''s low-cut neckline revealed a hint of her cleavage, accentuating her feminine curves. Thin, delicate straps added to her overall grace and refinement. Her long, flowing hair framed her face, showing her delicate features. She had a feminine face with large, expressive eyes that held a hint of mystery. Her bright red lips added a touch of sensuality to her appearance. Her skin was flawless and radiant, reflecting the soft light that bathed the scene. She carried herself with a graceful confidence, exuding poise and self-assurance. She appeared at ease in her surroundings, radiating tranquility and serenity. The overall impression was one of ethereal beauty and captivating charm. The fish gathered around her, eager to eat the fruit she offered. The scene was so peaceful, conveying a sense of harmony between the woman and nature. Alexander could not help but be stupefied. This was his first time seeing something so otherworldly beautiful. "Is this how a normal woman looks in this world?" he thought inwardly. The woman who was feeding the fish lifted her face, her radiant smile quickly changing to a stunned expression. She saw a shirtless man looking at her nonchalantly from across the pond. She was surprised that she hadn''t noticed him earlier, but her gentle gaze quickly turned cold as she pointed at Alexander. "Who are you? How did you come here?" she demanded, her voice firm. Alexander couldn''t help but follow his gaze to her bouncing peaks, then quickly coughed, realizing how inappropriate that was. His skill ''Heart of Stone'' was activated, making his expression neutral and calming his racing heart almost instantly as it happened. "Sorry, I''m lost. Is this your pond by any chance?" Alexander asked as he lifted half of his body from the water. His handsome face and blue eyes radiated a kind of charm and otherworldly aura. The scars and bite marks on his chest and back only added to his cool, daunting appearance, giving him a mature vibe in the eyes of the woman. She observed him closely, noting the contrast between his striking features and calmed demeanor while talking to him. "This is the first handsome man I''ve ever seen in my life," the woman thought to herself as she eyed Alexander. "Yes, this is my place. I will let you go this time since you were lost and not lying to me," she replied, her face remaining serious, exuding a cold and aloof vibe. Yet, her voice was calm and soft, like a melody playing every time she spoke. The contrast between her stern demeanor and the soothing sound of her voice made her all the more intriguing to Alexander. He couldn''t help but be captivated by her voice. The woman could see that Alexander was not lying, as she possessed an eye that could see through any lies. Her stare never left him as she waited for him to move. Alexander nodded and left the pond, heading back to the trees. The woman couldn''t help but touch her forehead in wonder. "How did a human get in here? Did he accidentally wander through a hidden portal? Hmph, luckily he didn''t hurt any of my fish," she said, caressing the same fish Alexander wanted to eat. Alexander, back in the dense forest, was hungry. His stomach grumbled, and he regretted not eating that fish. His conscience said it was a good fish and shouldn''t be eaten, making him sigh as he continued his walk. After a while, he spotted two massive boars, each twice the size of a regular boar. The boars had thick, bristly fur that was a mix of dark brown and black, providing perfect camouflage in the forest. Their eyes glowed with a wild, fearsome aura, and their tusks were long and curved, gleaming menacingly in the dappled forest light. Each step they took was heavy, causing the ground to tremble slightly beneath their weight. Their muscular bodies displayed their immense strength and power, making it clear that these were formidable creatures not to be underestimated. "Can these still be called boars?" Alexander muttered, squinting his eyes while hiding in a bush. "Who gives a shit right now! The bigger, the better," he whispered to himself. With that, he teleported behind their backs silently and with a swift ''boink,'' he knocked them unconscious. Alexander stood over the fallen beasts, a small, satisfied smile forming on his lips. "Now that''s how you handle a boar," he thought, feeling a surge of satisfaction. He then killed them quickly and without pain at that, trying to soothe his conscience. He shook his head, muttering to himself, "Alexander, remember this is how a hungry person survives. Killing a boar or two isn''t a sin." He was trying to convince himself, forgetting that he had slaughtered nearly a hundred saberwolves just yesterday. [You killed a ''Titan Tusks''. You''ve gained 13 exp] [You killed a ''Titan Tusks''. You''ve gained 11 exp] The system then automatically scanned the beast with its holographic panel, much like the rays of light used when paying at a cashier. [Titan Tusk Description: The beast of nature and favorite pets of a Titan. It has immense physical strength and formidable tusks, a Titan Tusk can plow through dense forest with ease. Their senses are highly attuned, able to detect the slightest disturbances in their territory. One of its most distinctive behaviors is the ground tremor it creates with each step, which serves as a warning to intruders. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Whenever you spot these beasts and see a symbol on their tusks, it indicates they are owned by someone. Be warned: killing such a pet is tantamount to killing their child.] Alexander was in a daze when he heard this. He hurriedly checked the tusks and, sure enough, there was a grey symbol. Etched into the tusks was a grey symbol, resembling an intertwined serpent and crescent moon. The serpent coiled tightly around the moon, its body covered in intricate scales that seemed to shimmer faintly. The moon was a perfect crescent, with delicate lines radiating from its edges, giving it an ethereal glow. This symbol clearly marked the boar as the property of someone powerful, a clear warning to any who might think to harm the creature. The ground beneath him shook violently as a booming voice echoed throughout the forest. "Who killed my childrennnnnsss!" it''s roared, were reverberating through the trees and causing the leaves to fall like rain. The sheer power of the voice made Alexander''s heart race. He knew he was in serious trouble. The owner of these Titan Tusks was coming, and it wasn''t going to be pretty. Alexander could sense a thick wave of killing intent covering the forest, making him regret his decision. Even if he tried to apologize by killing the boar, I mean ''the child'', since who calls a boar a child? He knew it was the pet of a powerful person, I mean a child of a powerful person. And you bet that owner, will be especially protective of their "pet-child," and would never let him go, since he killed them. As the archive closed, the cover of the book then appeared, now bearing the title ''Fairy Realm Archived.'' But Alexander didn''t notice this, as his focus was on the approaching figure. Chapter 42 - 42 Where the heck am I Feeling the pressure was gone, Alexander could not help but catch his breath. "This monster is so strong," Alexander muttered under his breath as he carefully observed the hulking figure before him, who was now watching him with equal intensity. The large man with red skin took a few heavy steps forward, but then paused abruptly. His nostrils flared, and his eyes darkened with realization. The energy that had struck down his children earlier, he could feel it now, it was the same kind that human in front of him is emanating. "You... you killed my child! I''m going to kill you!" the red-skinned giant roared, his voice shaking the trees around them. The scream echoed through the forest like thunder, reverberating in Alexander''s ears, almost rupturing his eardrums. Alexander instinctively stepped back, momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer fury radiating from the red-skinned human like person. His body was tensed, and in a split second, he turned, ready to flee. But before he could take a single step, the monstrous figure was behind him, moving with terrifying speed, as if the air itself parted for his advance. A massive fist came hurtling toward Alexander in a powerful, sweeping hook, the force behind it undeniable. His instincts screamed, urging him to react, but he barely had time to brace himself. Desperately, he crossed one of his arms, bringing them to his waist where the blow was aimed. The impact was immediate and brutal. Alexander grunted in pain as the immense force of the punch sent him flying into the air like a ragdoll. The world blurred around him as he soared upward, while his body spinning helplessly. The arm he used to block the strike throbbed with searing pain, and he realized with horror that it was bent in an unnatural direction, twisted and red from the sheer force of the blow. The pain was blinding, jolting him fully back into the moment. Still airborne, Alexander acted on instinct. Gritting his teeth, he reached out with his other arm, grabbing onto a low-hanging tree branch to stop his fall. The sudden halt jarred his body, but it kept him from crashing into the ground below. "Human! you dare trick me earlier! You''ve just made me furious!" the red-skinned giant roared, his eyes blazing with deadly rage. With a furious snarl, he clenched his massive fist and slammed it into the ground with full force. The impact sent tremors rippling through the earth, and debris erupted into the air. The very ground beneath their feet quaked violently, creating an earthquake that shook the trees around them. One by one, the trees began to uproot, swaying wildly before crashing to the ground. Even Alexander, who had taken refuge in a sturdy branch, felt the tremors. Despite the tree''s impressive size and strength, it buckled under the pressure and began to fall. He barely had time to react before gravity took hold, sending him plummeting toward the ground. "What the hell is this strength?!" Alexander cursed in shock as he tumbled. "System, wasn''t this mission supposed to be just at medium difficulty? Why does it feel like I''m the mission is at the impossible level?" He demanded answers from the system, unable to comprehend how the giant''s power had escalated so drastically. "Uhhh. Just handle it yourself, Host. It''s not like you''re going to die," the system replied nonchalantly, as if Alexander''s life was not facing a life and death situation. "What do you mean I''m not going to die?! I''m literally about to get crushed if that fist lands on me!" Alexander retorted, frustration bubbling up inside him. The casual attitude of the system during such a dire situation was enough to drive him mad, but there was no time to argue. The massive tree he had perched on began to buckle, the ground trembling beneath it. With no other choice, Alexander leaped down, landing heavily on the ground. His body tensed as he felt the enormous presence of the red-skinned giant bearing down on him with terrifying speed. Without warning, the giant threw a straight punch, the sheer force of it sending a gust of wind that rippled through the air like a cannonball. Alexander barely had time to dodge, twisting his body to the side with great agility, just in time to evade the deadly strike. Focusing intently on the fight, he pushed the system''s uncaring problems to the back of his mind. There was no time to think about anything else, one wrong move, and it was over. Every punch the red-skinned giant threw was like a thunderous explosion, the force so powerful it created wind bullets that tore through the environment with ease. Trees were snapped in half, bushes shredded like paper, and the ground beneath their feet cracked and cratered with each missed blow. Alexander dodged with everything he had, while was sweat pouring down his face, his breath turned ragged. His injured arm hung uselessly at his side, the bone was shattered and limp, needing at least a day to heal. Each dodge became more desperate as the onslaught continued. The destruction around him was immense, and he knew that one direct hit would mean certain death. "Boss, maybe we can talk about this? There''s gotta be something I can do to make you forgive me," Alexander said, wanting to compromise. He knew the difference in strength between them was like night and day, and he was grasping at his last straw to survive. The giant, red-skinned man paused, glaring at Alexander with burning red eyes. A deep, guttural laugh escaped his throat. "You killed my children, and now you want to bargain with me?" His voice was like thunder, filled with contempt. "Human, I''ve been using only 10% of my power. If I were serious, you''d be nothing but just a puddle of blood by now. I''m letting you live because I want to. I''ll go soft on you... just so I can torture you until death." The hatred in the red-skinned man''s eyes was palpable, its like a living force that suffocated the air around them. Alexander''s eyes widened in shock, "That was only 10%? Are you serious?! I almost died from that destructive power, and he''s still holding back?!" His mind raced, the sheer gap between their abilities sinking in like a cold wave. "This mission is a total scam... the difficulty is insane!" he muttered to himself, disbelief swirling in his thoughts, he could not help but cry, but no tears was coming. It was almost too overwhelming to process. As the liquid touched his tongue, he experienced something entirely different from anything he had "Fuck those children, you can just cook them if you want to," the big man with red skin said, forgetting about the cause of this problem just a moment ago. Alexander couldn''t help but manage a broken smile as his brows trembled. He really wanted to smack his head with his fist, but he was too weak right now. "Since you seem to have given me a lot of your treasured wine. Here, take this. For I, Talon Ragnor, am an upright person and will not steal without giving you compensation." As he spoke, three blue crystal stones appeared on his palm and flew through the air, which Alexander caught. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 43 - 43 Crimson Overlord When he caught the stone, he saw it was a crystal, pulsing with massive pure and destructive energy. Unlike any diamond or treasure he had ever seen, it left Alexander wondering about its true nature. "System can you explain to me what a spirit stone is?" Alexander inquired. [Spirit stones, sometimes known as Aetherial stones, are powerful sources of condensed energy. These stones contain a highly concentrated form of Aether, the energy that fuels cultivation. They are essential for various purposes such as enhancing cultivation, powering artifacts, and even as a form of currency among cultivators. The quality of a spirit stone can vary, with higher-grade stones providing more potent energy and greater benefits.] Alexander felt his scalp go numb after hearing this. "What happens to those who aren''t so lucky?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. "Not much," the big man in red skin replied. "Some of them make you their slave or a puppet for torture and amusement. But there are also good spirits who help those who accidentally end up here. That''s why you''re lucky to have survived this long." He looked at Alexander, his hair fluttering in the wind. "Are you saying you''re one of the good spirits? And... you''re not human?" Alexander said, with a raised eyebrow. "I''m neither good nor bad," Talon said. "I can''t define that since it''s up to the person themselves to decide. Since I have nothing else to do, and I really like your gift, I''ll entertain your questions for a while. Now, sit." He gestured for Alexander to sit on the ground. "Yes, that''s right. Some of our kind can reach the height of a mountain. Those are known as full-grown Titans. As for me, I''m still considered young since I''m not over a thousand years old yet. I may be not tall right now, because we Titans have the ability to shrink and expand to our normal size. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, when we shrink, we lose a small margin of our strength, so this leads to my current appearance" he explained to Alexander, pulling out a bottle of Mountain Dew from his storage ring and sipping it slowly to savor the taste. Alexander nodded thoughtfully. "A Titan as big as a mountain? Couldn''t one of those destroy an entire nation if it attacked my world?" He pondered the possibility, imagining the devastation. If only he knew that a full-grown Titan could obliterate his world with a mere snap of its fingers, he would be utterly shocked. "Are there any other races besides yours? Like Beastmen, Vampires, Werewolves, Mermaids, and Demons?" Alexander asked curiously. At the mention of Demons, the Titan''s eyes gleamed sharply, and a surge of killing intent flooded the air like a roaring river. Alexander suddenly felt suffocated, this killing intent was ten, no, a hundred times stronger than his own. But just as quickly as it appeared, the Titan retracted it, noticing Alexander''s heavy breathing. "Yes, there are many races, including those you mentioned. But in this realm, where you currently find yourself in, only us Titans, Seraphim, Wraiths, Aetherians, Mermaids, and Fae live here. Since this is one of the sacred grounds. As for races like Beastmen and Vampires and more, they lived in different place than us. For the rest, I''m not sure, since the realms are vast and full of diverse races. But when it comes to Demons..." his voice grew sharp as he spoke the last word. "The Demons are the true devils across all the realms. Long ago, when the world was plunged into suffering, about 500 million years ago, if I''m correct. It was filled with danger because these devils roamed free. They were like a plague, and their cruelty was beyond imagination. Their power was immense, but the scariest thing about them was their ability to regenerate in the blink of an eye. During that time, millions died each day from the destruction and massive massacres. Even when all the races and powerful beings across the realms united, they were still defeated. Just when all hope seemed lost, someone appeared." Talon''s tone shifted, now filled with respect and reverence as he spoke of this mysterious figure. "He was unbelievably strong, far beyond any cultivator I''ve ever heard of in history. He slaughtered every demon with just a swing of his crimson blade, known as the ''Devil''s Punisher.'' With each swing, the demons fell, their most proud regenerative abilities were completely suppressed. For years, he fought relentlessly, alone, facing billions of demons without rest. He was unmatched, and his strength inspired hope across all races in the realms. The demons became so terrified of him that they fled to their world, which made every powerhouse in awe. Seeing that those demons actually know true fear. But he didn''t stop there, he followed them through the portal, not knowing where it would lead. That was the last time caught a glimpse of him." Talon''s voice grew louder, his reverence for the savior was clear in his voice. "He became known as the ''Crimson Overlord,'' the savior of the realms from the demons'' reign of terror. He was the only true bane of the demons." Alexander was amazed after hearing this story, "One person solved a problem that billions of people across the realms couldn''t handle? This is like a real-life main character," he thought, really impressed by this guy. "So, where is he now?" Alexander asked, curious, since Talon had only mentioned the Overlord''s achievements but not his current whereabouts. "When he entered the portal, he never returned. Legends say he''s still alive, kicking, and slaying demons in their world. After all, the demons haven''t made any moves in millions of years," Talon said, his voice become lower and dimmer. "The entire realm was deeply indebted to the Crimson Overlord, yet no one ever got the chance to thank him before he disappeared after saving the world." Talon ended with a sigh. Alexander nodded, his worldview was shifting dramatically. The strength he once thought was impressive in his world seemed insignificant compared to the powers that existed in other realms. But if he were to discover that Earth itself wasn''t what it seemed, he would have to completely rethink his understanding of it. His eyes burned with determination, with a newfound resolve to grow stronger igniting within him. "Since I''ve answered all of your questions, follow me. I''ll escort you back to your world. Since this is going to be our last meeting," Talon said with a laugh as he stood up. Alexander couldn''t help but smile. Despite everything that almost killed him, the guy before him wasn''t so bad after all. He stood up, eager to complete his mission and grow stronger. "If we meet again, I''ll share more of my heavenly wine with you," Alexander promised, and Talon''s satisfied smile widened at that remark. "Good. Hurry now, or you might be discovered by the other races," Talon replied as they began to walk away from their previous location. They traveled for a while, as the trees growing thicker around them until only a narrow path remains, that is barely a meter wide, remained for them to walk on. The area was dark, with the massive trees blocking most of the light, making it difficult to spot even a glimmer of brightness. Finally, they arrived at a wide clearing, the ground covered in plain grass and surrounded by thick trees. In the center stood a colossal tree with a gaping hole that resembled a cave entrance, but it was pitch black inside. Chapter 44 - 44 You did not see that coming didnt you? As Talon watched Alexander vanish into the tree, a wave of relief washed over him. That relief quickly dissipated as he sensed a presence behind him. Turning around, he saw three entities he knew all too well. Their bodies were elongated and gaunt, seemingly held together by shadows rather than flesh. Their limbs, unnaturally long and thin, ended in claw-like hands that seemed capable of tearing through the very fabric of reality. Their faces were hollow, with deep-set eyes that glowed faintly, giving the impression of smoldering embers in a dark void. Their presence exuded a chilling dread, as if they were harbingers of despair itself. "Talon of the Titan race, how dare you allow that human to return to his world? Do you have any idea what grave crime you have committed?" one of them demanded in a deep voice, his tone was brimming with anger. Talon just scoffed at the Wraith who spoke to him, glaring sharply in response, "What I choose to do is none of your concern. He didn''t force his way into this realm, he merely stumbled upon it by accident, so it''s not a crime for him to be captured." he explained to the three. "So what? According to the rules of the fairy realm, if any race other than ours sets foot here, they must be killed, tortured, or...hehe." He the slightly paused, with a twisted smile spreading across his face as he giggled, leaving his sentence unfinished. Talon felt disgusted by the implication of the Wraith''s last statement. (Umm, please don''t think of anything inappropriate, since it''s not like that, actually, it''s something like that.) "That rule only applies to your kind, whose personalities are so twisted and disgusting. It clearly states that as long as no harm is done, we cannot kill them or administer their ''deserved punishment,''" he replied, filled with amusement in his voice. "Actually, that human killed my pets, but he compensated me by giving me something else. So, it was a win-win, and he did not lose anything" Talon said inwardly, with a smile adorning his face. "Hmph! Talon, if you weren''t the son of the chief of your race, I would have chopped you into pieces and fed you to my slaves!" The Wraith''s eyes glowed red, and a powerful pressure filled the air. Talon merely pursed his lips, "Do you think I''m afraid? Don''t forget that I ranked first among the strongest of my generation. I haven''t survived all this time by relying solely on my father. Even if the three of you gang up on me, you''re still no match," he said arrogantly, his voice dripping with coldness. As their auras leaked and clashed with each other, sparks flew from their exchanged glares, creating an electric tension in the air. The Wraith took a step back, realizing that even with three of them, they are really no match for Talon. "This isn''t over, Talon," the Wraith said threateningly, his gaze deadly. In an instant, the three of them were absorbed into the ground by the shadows, leaving only Talon standing in the clearing. He glanced back at the hole in the tree and mused aloud, "The Ashbourne family is still alive and kicking. I wonder where you all are residing now?" His gaze drifted upward, filled with curiosity. He had notice this when Alexander introduced himself. Since the Titan Tribe was particularly sensitive when it comes to bloodlines. After connecting these dots, Talon sensed that Alexander possessed the pure bloodline of the ancient Ashbourne family. Combining these two clues led him to this realization. But he wasn''t entirely sure, as it had been a long time since anyone had heard from the Ashbourne family after the Great War. Inside the darkness, Alexander couldn''t see anything, "Hello?" he called out loudly. His voice echoed throughout the dark place. After walking for a while, he spotted a light so he quickened his pace. The familiar sight of the forest emerged before him, looking around he was finally back. A wave of happiness washed over Alexander, he was greatly relieved to return back. That other world was dangerous, filled with something so abnormal and the unknown danger it have is so scary. Yet, deep inside, he felt that such a world was where he truly belonged. Shaking his head, he called upon his system with a grin on his face. "System, you were just making fun of me a moment ago, right? Look, I escaped and finally returned to this world. Now you should fulfill your end of the bargain!" Alexander said, excitement was evident in his voice as he anticipated his reward. [>_<] S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." Alexander did not say anything, as he tapped his finger on his shoulder, crossing his arms and giving the system panel an annoyed look at its expression. [Side Quest: Find the portal to go back] Difficulty: Impossible Punishment for failing: Increases the pain by 100% from the original mission punishment. Description: Since this seems impossible to achieve, failing the mission and accepting the original punishment is a good choice. Rewards: Heavenly item of your choice (>_<) Status: Completed] The mission panel then expanded like a flat-screen TV, revealing an array of weapons. Among them were swords with distinctive designs and auras. Sword number 1 had a curved blade with jagged edges, looking fierce and battle worn. Sword 2 gleamed with a golden hue, its sharp curve ready for swift strikes. Sword 3 stood tall and regal, with a complex hilt resembling a cross, hinting at ancient craftsmanship. Sword 4, was sleek and white, it had a dark brown handle, exuding an air of purity and precision. The unique crescent-shaped blade of sword 5 glimmered in gold, its circular guard adding to its mystique. Sword 6 was silver with intricate, almost crystalline designs, paired with a blue hilt, radiating elegance. Sword 7 wavy blade and simple brown handle gave it an unpredictable and deadly charm. Sword 8, broad and angular, looked like it could cleave through anything in its path. Sword 9 is red and black design, coupled with a curved guard, emanated an ominous aura. The sleek blue blade of sword 10, with its futuristic design and grey hilt, looked ready for cutting-edge battles. In the bottom row, sword 11 was a classic straight silver blade with a golden hilt, exuding timeless heroism. Sword 12 purple blade and ornate hilt suggested a weapon of magical origins. The green and gold design of sword 13, with its detailed hilt, appeared as if forged in nature''s heart. Sword 14, with its red blade and golden guard, seemed destined for a fiery warrior. Sword 15''s straight blade and feather-like hilt design hinted at a swift, cutting grace. Sword 16, a white blade with golden accents and a detailed hilt, looked like it belonged to a celestial guardian. The fiery red blade of sword 17, with its jagged design and brown handle, seemed forged in the heart of a volcano. Sword 18, sleek and silver with a futuristic hilt, looked fit for a space-age knight. Sword 19 is green blade with golden accents and a detailed guard appeared as a relic of the forest guardians. Lastly, sword 20, with its pink blade and intricate designs, stood out as a weapon of delicate yet formidable power. [Weapon: Nightfang Grade: Heaven Description: Forged in the heart of a dying star, Nightfang''s blade absorbs and stores cosmic energy. When wielded, it can unleash devastating energy blasts that can disintegrate enemies and other dark entities. Its jagged edges are designed to tear through the fabric of space, suppressing any abilities of its foes. The sword also has a passive ability to cloak its wielder in shadows, making them nearly invisible in low light conditions.] Reading this, Alexander felt a surge of satisfaction. He then moved his hand, navigating it to explore the next weapon in the system. [Weapon: Sunfire Cleaver Grade: Heaven Description: This sword was forged from the core of a sun, giving it an intense, radiant energy. The golden hue of its blade is not just for show for it can emit searing bursts of solar energy that can incinerate foes with a single strike. Sunfire Cleaver has the unique ability to harness sunlight, making its wielder stronger during the day and nearly unstoppable in direct sunlight. This weapon was created by a race of celestial blacksmiths who aimed to create a beacon of hope in times of darkness, ensuring that its wielder could bring light to the darkest corners of any realm.] Alexander''s eyes gleamed with interest as he scanned the information on each weapon. Though tempted to choose those weapons since he liked their ability, he stopped since he knew that he had to find the perfect match for his skills. With each description about their unique properties, his desire to possess them all grew stronger. Finally, he arrived at weapon 30. [Weapon: Starlight Rend Grade: Heaven Description: Forged in the depths of a nebula, Starlight Rend is a sleek, blue blade with a cutting-edge design that harnesses the power of stardust and Aetherial energy. Its main ability is to manipulate gravitational fields, allowing the wielder to control the weight and trajectory of their strikes with pinpoint accuracy. The sword can create small gravitational wells to trap or disorient enemies, making it a formidable weapon against multiple foes. Starlight Rend was created by an ancient race of star navigators who needed a weapon that could withstand the harsh conditions of space and provide unparalleled versatility in combat.] As he scrolled through the options, Alexander found most of them unappealing and not quite to his taste. After scrolling through nearly a hundred swords, he finally landed on weapon 763. His excitement surged, as this weapon perfectly complemented his current self. Chapter 45 - 45 Infernal Fury The weapon he was seeing, was a sight to behold, a testament to the power of fire and the forge of the damned. Its blade is a jagged with serpentine curve of obsidian, its surface etched with the flowing lines of molten lava. The edge is like a fiery inferno, crackling and dancing with an otherworldly heat. The pommel is a gnarled, with a demonic skull, its eyes were glowing red with an infernal light. The hilt is wrapped in the sinewy skin of a fire demon, its scales were even shimmering with a fiery sheen. The guard is a twisted, with a horned beast, as its claws gripping the blade in a perpetual frenzy. [Weapon: Infernal Fury Gade: Heaven Description: The more the wielder kills, the more powerful Infernal Fury becomes, it amplifies the host strength exponentially with each life taken. As the blade become redder and redder after absorbing so much blood you will get a passive ability unique only to the Host] "Unique Passice? System what is that" Alexander inquired. [Host, every Heaven Grade weapon has a unique passive ability that only its wielder possesses. The system can''t display this information, so the Host must choose wisely.] Hearing this, Alexander narrowed his eyes in disagreement, "Don''t tell me you''re just trying to get back at me! I thought you were all-powerful, but you are clearly holding a grudge when you didn''t see that coming. Is this part of your revenge?" He said, shooting the system a mocking gaze. [No.] The system replied before disappearing entirely. He quickly selected the item and clicked the ''Confirm'' button. A bright light then illuminated the space in front of him as the sword began to float slowly toward him. As Alexander''s fingers curled around the hilt of the sword, a surge of raw, untamed power coursed through his veins. The blade thrummed with a malevolent killing energy, with its fiery edge crackling with anticipation. He felt an intense heat radiating from the sword, not burning, but invigorating, like a forge''s heat tempered by centuries of dark magic. The aura around the blade was oppressive and intoxicating, a palpable sense of dread mixed with a thrilling rush of power. Every fiber of his being resonated with the blade''s thirst for battle and bloodshed, making his heart pound with exhilaration and his senses sharpen to a razor''s edge. In that moment, Alexander felt an overwhelming connection from the weapon, as if it were an extension of his own self. He even felt that his killing intent turned sharp and the oppressive feeling it release is so powerful right now. [Contract complete, you are now the sole owner of the sword ''Infernal Fury''] [Unique Passive: The more the wielder kills, the stronger they become. This ability can greatly enhance all stats by 10-80%, except for Intelligence and Charm. If no blood is shed within 30 minutes, the buff will be deactivated. [Bloodlust: As the wielder''s desire for battle intensifies, Bloodlust heightens the Host senses and reflexes, increasing strength and Speed by 60%. However, prolonged use diminishes clarity and control, potentially leading to a berserk state. Cooldown: 1hour] His veins was more refined than ever, enhancing his overall control of the Aetherial energy, making it easier for him to transfer it in any part of his body. When everything achieved spiritual harmony, Alexander''s body shook and sweat formed on his face. Slowly, a core began to materialize within him. After absorbing the final drop of the Aetherial Stones, Alexander opened his eyes, now filled with immense power. [ I don''t even know what the hell I''m explaining, since its all nonsense that comes to my mind. But you get the idea so moving on. --Author ] Alexander felt a gaping emptiness inside him, like a core that was missing its essence. As he tried to draw energy, it slowly started to fill that void, but the process was agonizingly slow. "System, show me my status," Alexander said, curious about the massive changes in his stats. [Status Experience: 62/12,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 14 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 11 Strength: 62 Speed: 59 Agility: 58 Dexterity: 43 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 62 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] His strength had really soared, at least two times than what it was before, which shocked him greatly. Even though his level was still 11, it didn''t reflect his current power at all. He believed that even if a level 20 beast was in front of him, he could take it down easily. After standing up, his vision had become much clearer, and his hearing was sharper than ever. He could even hear a woodpecker hundreds of meters away so clearly. Alexander then left the area, trying to find the road again. After a lot of wandering around, he finally found it. He took the path and went straight, but then something struck him, "Didn''t I eat anything? How come I''m not hungry at all?" Alexander said, furrowing his brows. Why wasn''t he hungry? is the biggest question. "Is it because of the improvement in my strength? That''s not good explanatory at all. Just to be safe, I should eat," Alexander said. He left the road, but now he was much more cautious, afraid that if he went deeper and stumbled upon another portal, it would be the end for him. He didn''t know that such occurrences were rare, since all about chance and luck, or more precisely, bad luck for a human to stumble upon those places. After wandering around for a while, he finally found a source of food. It was a deer, but this wasn''t just any deer, it had three horns on its head, thicker fur, and was much bulkier and bigger than any deer he''d seen before. Like he had even seen a deer in his life, since he was always in the city doing work, not having much time to see this animal. But he saw this in the TV from the channel Natgeo Wild, about their appearance so he had a general idea about it. Alexander sprinted, pouncing on the beast. His gaze turned cold as he released his killing intent. The deer, sensing immense danger, wanted to flee, but Alexander''s killing intent suffocated it, causing it to shake uncontrollably. Alexander swiftly decapitated it, making the kill as painless as possible. [Tricorn Deer Description: A deer known for its imposing size and strength. Its three horns, jutting majestically from its head, serve as both a defense and a symbol of its dominance. The fur of the Tricorn Stag is much thicker than that of a regular deer, providing warmth in the harsh climates of its native environment. With a bulkier and more muscular build, it stands as a formidable presence in the wild, embodying the raw, untamed essence of the land it inhabits.] He skinned the beast, removed its meat, and made a fire. Since it was just basic math to him. As the fire grew bigger, he used a branch with a sharp point to pierce the meat and grill it over the flames. As the meat cooked, the refreshing smell of roasted meat filled his nose, making his mouth water. Even his stomach, which had been quiet just a moment ago, grumbled, remembering its function as a stomach. Alexander took a bite of the meat. As the cooked flesh was chewed in his mouth, he couldn''t help but savor the flavor. Tears were even forming in his eyes as he chewed, he so overwhelmed by the deliciousness. After finishing the first piece, he threw away the empty stick and picked up another, biting into it ferociously. "This is so delicious," he mumbled, savoring the flavor. But suddenly, he felt his blood rejuvenating, and his body seemed to be strengthening, though it was only about 1%, so it was barely noticeable, but he noticed this and though that it''s because the animals here carried a hint of Aetherial Energy in them. Then, the bush beside him began to tremble. Making him stopped his lunch and looked at the spot. Suddenly, he saw a little girl who looked malnourished staring at his piece of cooked meat, where his stick was holding it. Her eyes locked on it, and her stomach grumbled loudly, causing her saliva to fall uncontrollably. "Whose child is this? Don''t tell me she''s lost in this forest. Poor little girl," Alexander thought as he stood up and slowly walked towards the girl. Seeing him walking close to him, she looked at the big man in front of him, trembling with fear. Her eyes trembled, and her brows fluttered as she took a slow step back. She was so scared that tears welled up in her eyes. Chapter 46 - 46: This is supposed to be a draft, Dont pay this chapter Alexander smiled at them, but behind that smile was chilling coldness. His gaze terrified the fat man, and even the others in black suits were visibly shaken. This wasn''t an ordinary person, he seemed more like a superhuman, they though in their mind. After all, who could kick a man bigger than himself so hard that he flew across the room and shattered the door? The fat man''s sweat flowed like a river as he looked at Alexander, but seeing that he still had six men left, he regained some of his composure. "Don''t hesitate! He''s alone, and there are six of you. Draw your weapons and kill that kid!" the fat man commanded, trying to mask his fear by shouting loudly as he pointed at Alexander. The men realized that their big bro was right, Alexander was just one person, while they had numbers on their side. They reached into their pockets, pulling out a folding knife, and slowly began to surround Alexander, glaring at him with killing intent. Alexander smirked in amusement as he watched their movements. He then felt a gentle tug on the back of his clothes. It was Zya, looking at him with deep concern. Alexander gave him a reassuring smile, silently telling him not to worry since he was here. But Zya couldn''t calm down. Just moments ago, the men were unarmed, but now they held knives, making the situation far more dangerous. "Kid, let me tell you, the Black Serpent Gang isn''t a group you can just mess with," the fat man sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. Three of the gang members, emboldened by their numbers, launched their attack. The man at the front, his eyes burning with malice, as he aimed a deadly thrust at Alexander''s heart. His intent was clear, he wanted Alexander dead. But Alexander was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he intercepted the knife with just two fingers, stopping it inches from his chest. The man in black suite was stunned by the ease from which Alexander deflected his attack, he tried to pull back his weapon, but it wouldn''t budge. Alexander seized this opportunity, raising his palm with lightning speed. A thunderous slap echoed through the room as his hand connected with the man''s cheek. The force of the blow sent the attacker reeling backward, his face contorted in pain. The slap was like a drum being pounded by a giant drumstick, as the sound echoing through the room. The man''s cheek caved in, as his teeth flying out in a bloody spray. His eyes rolled back without any sign of consciousness, as he was flung through the air. He slammed into the wall, shattering a string of LED lights with a sickening crunch. Sparks flew as the electricity shorted out. The other two men, seeing their comrade''s fate, lunged at Alexander, their knives aimed for his throat. But Alexander was too quick. He lashed out with a lightning-fast punch, connecting with both men''s faces simultaneously. Their faces were shattered, and their noses was crushed and twisted. If there was an X-ray it would likely reveal their broken bones beneath the mangled flesh. They flew through the air like ragdolls, passing beside the fat man, and crashing against the wall at the same time as the walls where they were hit shook from the impact. They then lay motionless, unconscious and defeated. The fat man was visibly terrified, realizing the gravity of the situation he had instigated by provoking such a formidable opponent. The three men was hesitating right now, unsure whether to act or not, knowing that Alexander could swiftly resolve the conflict in a matter of seconds. Like seriously, he dealt with their companions earlier in just a matter of five seconds. Who are they to go and confront this devil, they don''t have five lives. Amidst the chaos with the violent sounds reverberating through the room, a man in a formal suit, adorned with glasses and of a slight build, entered with an expression of anger. "Who dares to stir trouble in our ''Black Serpent Gang'' territory?" he thundered, his gaze piercing as he looked at the fat man. "Pyro, who has the nerve to cause trouble here? Does he still want to live?" he seethed with rage, his gaze locked onto the trembling figure of Pyro. Pyro, unable to meet the furious man''s eyes, trembled visibly, his fear is palpable and livid. With a shaky hand, Pyro pointed towards a figure in the room. The man then strode forward, his anger simmering as he laid eyes on the source of the disturbance. But after seeing the person, his eyes twitched. "How did this kid end up here?" he cursed silently, taken aback by the unexpected presence of the youth. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He thought Alexander wasn''t as tough as he seemed, considering he''d only taken down a group of inexperienced thugs. But this time was different. Alexander had defeated their most skilled fighters, the men known for their experience in violence and combat. Seeing their lifeless bodies and disfigured faces, a chill ran down his spine despite there was no wind. His menacing expression softened into a smile, as if greeting a friend. "Mr. Alexander, I apologize for the trouble. Please forgive us," Ethan said with a forced smile. Yes, it''s Ethan, Jonathan''s assistant. He understands that based on this scenario right now, Alexander is both powerful and ruthless when dealing with his enemies. He need to reassess their approach before counterattacking again. Seeing the sudden change in expression, Pyro was stunned, as were the three men in suits. Pyro, the fat man, remained silent since he recognizes that Ethan''s was much more experienced than him and this person in front of him seems to be a person that shouldn''t be messed with. Alexander who was the center of this was stunned, "Didn''t I just kick some of his subordinates ass? why are they treating him with respect right now? Being violent is actually a great way to scare the opponent in submission" he though inwardly. Zya and May just hid behind Alexander, watching the entire situation unfold. "Do you know me?" Alexander said, looking at his face. Ethan answered instantly, "Of course we know you, Mr. Alexander. Please forgive my subordinates for causing trouble. I will try to punish them after this for offending you," he said with his hand clasped, showing Alexander his broken smile. Alexander just snorted, so he walked, planning to leave while holding Zya''s soft hand. Being held by him, Zya couldn''t help but feel that she was in the safest place in the world. "You''d better control your subordinates, or I will do it myself," Alexander said as he passed by him. His voice was cold clearly a threat. Ethan formed some black lines on his forehead as he looked back at Alexander, still having that ugly smile on his face. "Yes, yes, I will try and manage my subordinates after this," he said in a respectful tone, afraid to offend Alexander. Hearing his reply, Alexander just scoffed and left the place through the door and finally exited the bar. When his figure was finally gone, Ethan, whose face still had a smile, turned ferocious as a mad lion. "Fuck! fuck! fuck! that kid thinks he''s so good, huh? Let me see how we''ll deal with you," he said, cursing Alexander as he picked up the wine bottle on the table and smashed it to relieve his anger. He was seething with anger, a controlled but with an intense anger, with his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. Seeing this, Pyro and the rest couldn''t help but calm him down. After he was calmed, his eyes were still red from the anger and humiliation. "Big brother, are we going to take revenge?" Pyro said, even though he was afraid, but the humiliation the Black Serpent Gang suffered was horrendous. "Don''t worry, the boss had already planned this out, but since I just saw how strong he is, I think there might be some revisions for the plan," Ethan said gloomily. Alexander, Zya, and May were walking in the side road. When the two finally looked back and saw that they were not being followed, the two could finally breathe. "Alexander, thank you very much for standing up for us in there. If it weren''t for you, we would have been..." Zya said but stopped. She was fearful from just imagining it. May, who was holding Zya''s hands, let go and looked at Alexander. The three of them then stopped in their tracks. "Alexander, thank you very much for saving my life as well. It was my fault in the first place, and the two of you got involved. I''m very sorry for making trouble for you earlier," she said, feeling regretful for what she did. "Don''t mention it. You''re Zya''s friend," Alexander said, shaking his hand to not mind the past. "So if I''m not Zya''s friend, you will actually not care since what I did is really inhumane," May said as she sighed, feeling remorseful from what she had done to humiliate Alexander. Alexander then wanted to assist them to go home, but Zya had already called her father, sending their driver. He waited with them to make sure no unexpected things would happen. After the driver arrived, they bade their farewell, and Alexander also went home. This time he decided to sleep in his manor. By stopping a taxi, he took a ride in the direction to ''Summit Heights''. After arriving at the entrance of the gate in ''Summit Heights'', the security guard stopped the vehicle. After Kent saw it was Alexander, he opened the gate to let car in. The driver of the taxi was awed and surprised to see this seemingly young man, who he thought is a normal person was actually a rich person in disguise. When it arrived just outside the gate of his manor, he paid like 1,000 Pesos. Then the driver said his thanks, then left the place. The security guard that was specifically assigned to his manor greeted him and opened the gate. After Alexander was inside, he walked his way to his room and took a shower. After wearing his clothes, he did not waste his time and started cultivating using the ''Vital Draw Technique''. Morning passed, and Alexander felt refreshed. He took a shower and went to work for today since it was Monday. As he was walking the path down towards the entrance gate, a Porsche passed by him. Unknown to him, a woman was watching him from a rearview mirror. She couldn''t help but think, "Did someone buy a house? He seems to be so young, and that path where he came down is the only Manor that has been unoccupied for years," she said, but she did not ponder about it and just left the place. Alexander then asked Kent to take him for a ride just below the mountain to take a taxi, but Kent said that he could drive him to his destination, but he disagreed. After taking a ride, he also gave him a tip and stopped a taxi then worked for the day. He served some guests, had fun with Claire, and he also did not see Sophie because she always left when it was time for her tutor. Just like that, morning passed, and tonight is the night, but before that, a message popped up. [FatMerchant69: I''m sorry, ''AlexanderTheGrate.'' I''ve been so busy these 1 day that I missed your message. As compensation, I''ll add another 500 silver coins.] FatMerchant69 sent the message, and soon after, Alexander received 4,700 silver coins. [The Host has received a payment from user ''FatMerchant69'' of 4,700 silver coins. Converting to your currency, you''ve received ''4,700,000 pesos.''] Alexander was surprised and thrilled at the same time, he had just made millions from another transaction. "That guy is seriously loaded with money," he cursed in excitement. "System show me my Status" [Status Experience: 8/300 Name: Alexander Free Points: 4 Title: None Level: 4 Strength: 31 Speed: 26 Defense: 29 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN]} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique}] His status increased after cultivating in that one night, and now he was ready. Suddenly a message panel popped up. [Mission: Saved the Village] [Will be starting in 5, 4, 3, 2... 1] The system counted, then Alexander was illuminated by light, and his face that was serious and excited about what it feels like to go to another world. The he was gone from his room. Chapter 47 - 46 The Beast in the road Seeing her eyes welling up, Alexander stopped in his footsteps. He could see that the little girl in front of him was truly afraid. So, he went back from the campfire and took a cooked piece of meat. He slowly walked to the child and gave it to her. "Here, are you starving?" Alexander said in a soft voice, looking at the little girl with concern. The little girl''s eyes widened, seeing the food in his hand. Her mouth became watery, but she stopped herself and looked at Alexander with fear. Her stomach grumbled like a mad lion, so she decided to take the meat in Alexander hands even if she was scared. Getting the food, she bit into it and had a hearty meal. Alexander, seeing the little girl savoring his food, smiled. So, he went back to his campfire and ate more, since the deer was big, and of course, there was a lot of meat that 3-4 people could eat and finish. Alexander knew that if the little girl was still starving, she would come to him. If he became too proactive, he would scare her. So, he had to take it easy. [Why don''t you ask Drake for suggestions? since he''s an expert- Author] As the little girl finished the meat and only the stick remained, seeing that there was more of it on the campfire, she walked with slow steps and arrived just beside Alexander, but it''s only three steps away, as she sat down. Alexander seeing her actions, couldn''t help but smile a little. So, he took a barbecued piece of meat from the fire and passed it to her by extending his hands. The little girl, seeing this, took it in her hands and began to munch on it like crazy. She was like a beast that haven''t eaten a food for a very long time. Seeing her action, Alexander narrowed his eyes, wondering if this little girl had no family, since she wasn''t well taken care of. Her face was filled with dirt. Her clothes were tattered and hadn''t been washed for a long time. Her hair was even more haggard. "Slow down, the food won''t run away," Alexander mumbled in a low voice. Hearing him, the little girl looked at Alexander with her big eyes, as she slowed down her eating. Seeing this, Alexander nodded his head. He didn''t want her to choke! by eating so aggressively. Then, he heard her choking, indeed. She was humming and looking at him with a red and pale face. She was holding her neck like a dying person, "Oh, shoot, I have no more water to give!" he panicked, standing up and going to her side. But luckily, his skill ''Heart of Stone'' quickly activated, calming him down. He observed his surroundings, as his gazed landed on a coconut tree. He hurriedly climbed on top of it with great speed. Even a monkey couldn''t have achieved what he had done. As he jumped down, he took out his sword, which gave off a menacing aura. He then cut the upper part of the coconut so that the juice inside could be taken. The sword that was meant for killing, was used to open a coconut, which was quite ironic. "Here, drink it," Alexander said hastily, as he put the coconut in front of her. Understanding this, the little girl hurriedly took the coconut and drank from the cut part, making a gurgling sound. The lodge meat in her throat was finally gone when she was done. She made a hearty sound as she looked at Alexander gratefully. "This is why I told you to take it easy. You almost died," Alexander reprimanded, with anger in his eyes. Seeing him looking at her with anger in his eyes while reprimanding her, the little girl looked down clutching her thighs. Alexander seeing this, sighed. He couldn''t control himself for a moment. So, he took another piece of meat and passed it to her, "Sorry for shouting just now. Here, eat this. But this time, eat it slowly," Alexander instructed. Then the little girl nodded as she took the meat and ate it slowly. Alexander then ate his meal, since she wasn''t the only one who was starving. When they were done and there was no more food, Alexander was shocked, wondering how this little girl could eat so much meat. He should have been even more surprised about himself rather than the little girl, as they took a rest, Alexander decided to inquire. "Where are your parents?" Alexander asked the little girl, who was still keeping a distance from him. At the sound of his voice, the girl looked down, her expression turning sad. Her voice was soft and low as she responded, "My father died when I was young, during a hunt for food. My mother... she passed away from an illness not long after." Her voice trembled, and she paused before continuing. "My big sister has been taking care of me since then. But... we got separated. When we were out gathering some berries when a beast showed up, and I... I lost her," she finished, her small frame shaking slightly as she tried to hold back tears. "That beast was big and scary," the little girl sobbed, wiping her watery eyes with its small and delicate hands. "My big sister distracted it so I could run. I''m afraid she got hurt because of me." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alexander''s heart clenched at her words, "What a poor child to experience this at a young age" "How long have you been in this forest?" he asked, hoping it was just a few hours. "About two days now," she replied, her voice quivering but beginning to calm down. "Two days?" Alexander was shocked. "You''re lucky you didn''t run into any more trouble," he said with a sigh of relief. "Do you know the way back?" he asked, glancing at her. She shook her head, signaling she was lost. Alexander nodded as he slowly, stood up. "Follow me," he instructed, and the little girl obediently followed behind him. As they walked, Alexander kept an eye on the path, hoping she would recognize something. But soon, he stopped in his tracks. A chill ran down his spine as he sensed something. The hair in every inch of his body stood on end. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the thick trees and bushes surrounding them. Something¡ªor someone¡ªwas watching them. It was a strong and had a menacing presence. Then, a loud rustling sound broke through the silence. The heavy breathing of the creature became audible, and when it finally emerged from the trees, Alexander''s eyes widened in shock at its massive size. Before him stood a monstrous bear-like creature, twice the size of a normal bear. Its hulking frame was covered in matted, dark fur, tangled with bits of debris. Its eyes gleamed with malevolent power, glowing a fierce red in the dim light. The creature''s muscles rippled beneath its thick hide, and its mouth was filled with rows of jagged, razor-sharp teeth. Its claws, each the size of a dagger, glinted menacingly as it flexed its massive paws. Its muscular arms were protected by spiked, armored bracers, and its sharp claws were visible. The bear''s growl rumbled like thunder, sending shivers down to the little girl''s spine. Alexander narrowed his eyes, and he felt a great threat towards this beast. Suddenly he felt in his short was being held tightly looking back it was the little girl who was shaking looking at the bear. "Mr., its that beast who attacked us 2 days ago" the little girl said in shaking tone. Alexander hearing this glanced back at the bearlike creature, he instructed the girl to hide from those trees. The bear seeing this action, did not stop since he felt that the threat he was getting from Alexander is far greater than the little girl. If it could kill Alexander then the weaker one would be an easy prey. Alexander could tell this beast was unlike anything he had ever faced. It was immensely strong, and it didn''t stand like a typical bear, but rather like a human, upright on two legs. As the light illuminated them, the bear growled heavily, scaring off the other beasts in the area. Alexander took his stance, extending his right hand and gesturing for the bear to come closer, a smile playing on his lips. He was eager to test his raw strength without relying on his sword. The bear seeing his actions had a strong resentment in his eyes, seeing that a human dared to be tough in front of him. It run towards like a normal bear would do, but every it steps its footprints caved in the ground knowing that its body carried a lot of power. The clash was immediate and fierce. Alexander launched a punch that connected with the bear''s massive shoulder, sending ripples through its dense fur. The Bear only growled from the impact as it retaliated with a swipe of its huge paw, claws slicing through the air. Alexander barely dodged, feeling the wind rush past his face. They exchanged blow after blow. Alexander''s fists met the bear''s powerful strikes with equal ferocity. Each hit from the bear felt like a sledgehammer, but Alexander''s agility and strength kept him on his feet. He landed a swift uppercut to the bear''s jaw, making it stagger back with a roar. The ground beneath them shook with their movements. Alexander used his speed to weave around the beast, striking at its sides and ribs. The bear''s growls grew more furious, its eyes burning with rage. It lunged forward, aiming a devastating strike at Alexander, who met it head-on with a powerful punch that reverberated through the clearing. Alexander''s smile grown wider and wider as they fought. Chapter 48 - 47 Bear vs Man The battle between Alexander and the bear raged like a thunderstorm in the clearing. The air crackled with intensity as the beast''s roars mixed with Alexander''s wild laughter, their voice was echoing through the trees. Blood trickled from a cut on Alexander''s cheek, but he hardly noticed it, since he too caught up in the thrill of battle. The bear lunged again, its paw coming down like a hammer. Alexander met it with a powerful block, feeling the bones in his arm rattle from the impact. He gritted his teeth but laughed in the bear''s face, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "Come on! Is that all you''ve got?" he taunted, his voice was raspy with exhilaration. The bear snarled at him, with its fury blazing in its eyes. As it charged once more, using its massive weight to try and overpower the human. Alexander ducked low, sidestepping the bear''s rush, but not before a paw grazed his ribs, tearing through his skin and drawing blood. He winced but broke into a manic grin, the pain only fueling his excitement. His muscles tensed, and he sprang forward, delivering a crushing elbow to the bear''s side. The bear groaned in pain, its legs buckling for a brief moment before it steadied itself. Its eyes locked on Alexander, and it let out a thunderous roar, swiping at him with renewed rage. Alexander jumped back but was caught off guard as the bear''s claws slashed across his shoulder, sending him stumbling. Blood dripped from the wound, but Alexander only laughed harder, his voice carrying a wild, unhinged edge. "Good! Now we''re talking!" Alexander shouted, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He darted forward, dodging another swipe from the bear, his fists moving in a blur as he pummeled the beast''s side with rapid punches. His knuckles bruised with each hit, but the pain was meaningless to him now. The bear groaned louder, each strike was driving it back step by step. It bared its fangs, attempting one last desperate lunge, but Alexander was faster. He ducked under the attack, delivering a savage uppercut that sent the bear staggering back, roaring in agony. The air around them shifted, heavy with tension as the bear''s eyes turned crimson, radiating an aura of terrifying raw power. Alexander felt a shiver crawl down his spine as he stopped in his tracks, his grin fading into an serious expression. He could sense the shift that something primal had awakened within the beast. [Warning: ''Rage of the Wild'' has been activated] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The system chimed, but Alexander''s focus was already on the bear. He could feel its killing intent, that was cold and sharp like a blade aimed directly at him. The wounds Alexander had inflicted moments ago were closing, the bear''s body is pulsing with newfound a strength and vitality. Its muscles bulged as it roared, that sound of his shook the trees around them. "So, you''re not going down easy," Alexander muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I guess I''ll stop holding back." he said, since he was just only using 70% of his power. In an instant, the bear charged, faster than before. Alexander barely had time to react. Raises his arms in defense, but the bear''s claws smashed into him with brutal force, sending him skidding across the ground. His feet dug into the earth, leaving deep trails behind. Gritting his teeth, Alexander shot forward, unleashing a flurry of punches at full power, each one strong enough to shatter stone and destroy metals. But the bear met every strike with renewed fury, its speed and strength overwhelming him. Alexander''s heart pounded in his chest. He dodged another vicious swipe, but the beast''s claws grazed his side, drawing a deep gash. He winced but pushed forward, delivering a heavy blow to the bear''s jaw. The impact reverberated, but the bear barely flinched the beast, since it seemed to be in a berserk state. It responded with a massive swipe that caught Alexander across the chest, sending him crashing into a tree. The wood splintered on impact, the force of that blow was sending shockwaves throughout the forest. The trees around them swayed, their leaves rustling in fear as the ground quaked under the force of their battle. The once serene forest was now a battleground, with the ground torn up and trees cracked from the immense power the two unleashed. Birds scattered in the sky, fleeing the chaos below. Alexander struggled to his feet, blood dripping from multiple wounds. His body ached, and his breath came in ragged gasps. The bear, now towering over him, looked down with its glowing red eyes, relentless and bloodthirsty. It roared again, the sound deafening. Its body surged with even more power, and it charged forward, intent on crushing him. Alexander blocked with everything he had, his muscles was straining as he fought to keep the bear''s claws from ripping him apart. But even at full power, the bear''s strength was too much. It was faster, stronger, and its wounds were healing faster than he could deal damage. With every strike, Alexander felt his body wear down. His punches were met with the bear''s unstoppable force, and each impact felt like a mountain falling on him. The forest shook, and the ground beneath them cracked with every clash. The fight raged on, but Alexander was slowly losing ground. For the first time in the battle, amusement flickered in his eyes. "Dammit," he growled, wiping the blood from his lips. "This thing''s tougher than I thought." he continued. "But I''m tougher than you think, little bear," Alexander growled, a wicked grin spreading across his face, it was so twisted and fierce, like a devil savoring the chaos around him. [Berserker Instinct was activated.] His bluish eyes flickered it then burned a deep, crimson red the same bloodlust now reflected in the bear gaze, but colder and more menacing. The atmosphere around them grew darker, as though the air itself was recoiling in fear. The trees trembled, and the ground cracked beneath Alexander''s feet as his killing intent surged like a volcanic eruption. It was no longer a battle between man and beast it was a clash of beast and beast. The bear sensed this change but refused to back down, its own rage reaching its peak. With a deafening roar, it activated its one of its ability ''Maul Storm'' The beast charged at Alexander, its claws and fangs moving in a blur, tearing through the air with savage precision. Each swipe was a whirlwind of death, ripping into the ground while it flew slashing toward Alexander with the force of a hurricane. Dirt and debris flew everywhere as the earth was scarred from the bear''s relentless fury. Alexander''s movements were quick, but not quick enough to avoid all of the bear''s frenzied strikes. Claws raked across his chest and arms, leaving some deep bleeding wounds. He grimaced, feeling the sting of the cuts, but his grin only widened as his blood began to flow. "More!!" Alexander shouted, like a madman. The bear then lunged, its jaws snapping at his throat, but Alexander twisted just in time, delivering a brutal elbow into the beast''s side. The impact reverberated through the forest, but the bear barely flinched. It followed up with a savage claw, catching Alexander in the ribs again sending him flying across the battlefield. He hit the ground hard, rolling through the dirt, his body battered but not broken. Blood dripped from his wounds, but as it did, his muscles began to swell, his strength surging in response to the pain. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 20%.] The bear roared again, this time even louder, and charged forward, ready to finish him off. But Alexander, still on the ground, was already grinning. His red eyes burned brighter, his aura growing heavier and more oppressive than ever before. He slowly stood up, wiping blood from his mouth. "Come on, beast," he muttered, his voice was low and deadly. "You''re not the only one with a few tricks." he snickered. The bear in range unleashed another wave of its skill ''Maul Storm'', claws slashing faster, trying to overwhelm him with sheer speed and ferocity. Each blow sent shockwaves through the forest, tearing apart trees, ripping chunks of earth from the ground. Alexander, now fully embracing his Berserker Instinct, blocked and countered as best he could, but the Werebear''s strength was immense. The claws tore into him, leaving new wounds that bled profusely, but each wound only seemed to fuel his power. With every strike the bear landed, Alexander''s laughter grew louder. His body was covered in gashes, but the more damage he took, the stronger he became. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 30%.] He lunged forward, his fists were flying with brutality. His punches were like sledgehammers, cracking against the bears ribs and jaw, making it stagger. But the bear recovered quickly, swiping its claws again. This time, Alexander didn''t dodge. He took the full brunt of the attack, the claws digging deep into his shoulder, but instead of falling back, he grabbed the bear''s arm with his other hand, locking it in place. Blood streamed from his wounds, but his grin was wide, his eyes glowing with savage delight. "Hurts, doesn''t it?" Alexander snarled, before slamming his head into the bear''s snout. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, and the bear recoiled in pain, its nose cracked and bleeding. But Alexander wasn''t done. Using his enhanced strength, he lifted the massive beast off the ground, slamming it into the earth with a sickening thud. The ground caved beneath the impact, creating a crater around them. The bear roared in fury, trying to rise, but Alexander was already on top of it, his fists coming down like meteors. Punch after punch, he drove his knuckles into the bear''s face and chest, each strike fueled by his bloodlust and fury. The ground beneath them shook violently, cracks like a spider-webbing out from where they fought. Trees fell, as the forest crumbling around them as the sheer force of their battle devastated everything in its path. The bear that was so desperate, activated its only skill again ''Maul Storm'', its claws flailing wildly in an attempt to tear Alexander apart. But it was no use. Alexander was too far gone, his Berserker Instinct fully in control. He welcomed the pain, using it to fuel his relentless assault. Blood coated both of them, and the battlefield was littered with debris, the air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat. The bear''s strength was formidable, its regeneration keeping it in the fight, but Alexander''s power was growing with every second. His punches grew heavier, each one landing with the force of an avalanche. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 50%. Power is at Maxed Level] The system spoked in a cold voice. The Werebear groaned, its body finally showing signs of strain. Alexander, drenched in blood, let out a final primal roar, his fists crashing down with such force that the ground itself seemed to give way. The forest around them was unrecognizable, the landscape was torn apart by their battle, but Alexander stood victorious, his red eyes glowing as he looked down at the battered beast beneath him. The bear then died as it took its final breathed passing away. His red eyes that were glowing for a few minutes slowly returned to its true color, his mind becomes clearer and finally it turns back to normal. Chapter 49 - 48 Werebear Vs Man Actually!! [You have killed a Werebear. You''ve gained 87,000 exp] The ''3,378th Archive''. Appeared on his sight again. Then the information about the beast he just killed appeared in front of him. [Werebear Description: This towering beast stands twice the size of a normal bear, making it a formidable opponent in the wild. Covered in matted, dark fur tangled with debris, its appearance is both wild and menacing. The Werebear''s eyes gleam with a fierce red light, showcasing its malevolent intelligence and raw power. Its massive frame is supported by muscular limbs and dagger-like claws, ready to tear through anything. A growl from this creature itself can send shivers down the spine of any adversary. At night, its strength increases by half, and under the full moon, its power is doubled, making it even more dangerous. Unique Skills: Rage of the Wild: When the Werebear''s health is low, this skill temporarily increases its strength and speed, while also regenerating a portion of its lost health. Its eyes glow a fierce red, and it emits a terrifying roar that intimidates nearby enemies, reducing their combat effectiveness. Maul Storm: Unleashes a devastating combo of claw and bite attacks in rapid succession, dealing massive damage and causing bleeding, which makes the opponent take damage over time.] Alexander reading this was stunned he actually just escaped death itself. If he was not wrong, if he fought this werebear at night he will struggle a little and if its in the full moon it will make him more serious and used his weapon which he also had the confidence to win. Reading the skills he finally understood why its strenght and overall stats increased so much its actually because it was nearing its death. Remembering the amount of exp he had gained, he then called the system to know the great changes is. [Status Experience: 62/18,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 26 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 17 Strength: 68 Speed: 65 Agility: 64 Dexterity: 49 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 69 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Seeing his level that increased by 6 levels he was ectastic, he felt a cooling sensation as the injuries he had recieved slowly healing by his level up. It slowly patched up his wounds until the only thing left was his tropies after that battle. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was like a sandbag that was bullied by an animal since he had lots of scars, and bite marks. If normal person to see this, they would fell their scalps gone numb just from seeing what pain can a person feel if he had this kind of injuries. Alexander seeing the increased in his stats, he nodded in satisfaction as he felt that this mission would become much more easier than he anticipated. But what caught his eyes is one of his quest that had increased by 1. [Quest: Trial of Bloodlust] Description: To evolve Berserker Instinct to the next tier, you must embrace your bloodlust while maintaining control. Your ability to balance power and clarity will be put to the ultimate test. Quest Requirements: Slay a beast that is above level 30. [1/100] Slay a spirit beast. [0/5] Master the art of killing intent. [0/1] He can see that in one of its requirements the number actually increased by 1, so that means the werebear is actually level 30 or above which made him astonished. "I though that I could only fight some beast that is only in the 20s or above. I can actually compete to those that is around level 30? So if I used my swords right now added by the increased in my level and my free points. My power must be able to confront those beast around level 40 and above." Alexander pondered if his strenght must be on par with those monster. He can''t tell since his level is only at level 17 but he can fough beast that is way ahead of him. "System can you make an update like you can show the level of the beast I defeat?" Alexander requested as the panel appeared in his sight. [Sure Host] The system complied since it was meant to serve and accompanies the host, since that is his function and program. Seeing his reply Alexander then got off from the beast, as he looked at its massive size wondering how tasteful it is. But he just shook his head since he was already full. Then the bush far away rustled and the little appeared on his sight, seeing him the little girl run to him with its delicate and small legs. "Mr, are you okay?" The little girl, spoke softly with a bit of childish tone. When she saw Alexander was fully covered by blood and the gruesome appearance of the bear, she did not show disgust and discomfort at all, but only gazed at him full of concerned. This warmed Alexander''s heart as he approached her, but did not get too closed since the blood and sweat is so stinky. "Let''s go to a nearby river so I can washed up, and you as well since you haven''t showered for a long time I guess" Alexander laugh as he caressed her small head. The little girl nodded as her big round eyes looked at him, with a happy expression seeing that the man who was good to him seems to be ok. Alexander then went to a nearby river, since when they were fighting they were already changing locations from the constant battle arriving to a place that is closed to a running river. When they arrived Alexander then swam in the running river where the current is not really that strong and the water just only reached over his chest. As he removed the blood that was clinging to him, he lifted his head and saw that the little girl is clutching the hilt of her clothes. Her eyes were red, with a hint blush on her cheeks. Alexander wonder what is wrong with the little girl making him concerned. "Are you ok? Your face seems to be red, are you having a fever" Alexander said, as he stood up from the river where his body was draped with water. The scars and the water that drapes from his body downwards, showed his great physiques that could make any girls mouths dry. His like an indomitable model filled with irresistible charm, even the little girl seems to be affected. The little girl hearing Alexander spoke, she shook her head. "I''m fine Mr. I''ll go down now" she replied, as she slowly walked from the rocky river. When she step foot for a few steps she felt that the water became deep making her drowned. Alexander hurriedly assisted her holding him by her waist, the little girl was breathing heavily by almost drowning. Alexander held her up as he brought him to the surface where the water is not really deep. Having made contact the little girl blushed, his face reddened like a tomato. Alexander wondered why his face was so hot while his body was cold from the water. "Are you really alright?" Alexander asked again. "Yes Mr, I''m really fine" She replied. Alexander then swam back to where he was and continued cleaning himself. The little girl then also cleaned every inch of her body, she splashed her face with water, she also washed his hair and cleaned every inch of dirt and mud that is sticking onto his skin. Alexander feeling the stikcy feeling of the blood even though it was already gone, the feeling of the slimy thing was still there. "I should buy a soap next time for this reason" He though inwardly. As they were done since Alexander was shirtless he resurface with only his wet shorts. He did not need to dry it since he will not cold by his great resistance to cold and heat now, even a fever never likely going to happen to him. As he looked back the little girl clothes was so wet, she can see that her skin was actually white, her face was rosy and lively showing her cuteness. Just from this features her appearance will be a top notch beauty in the future. "You should dry your clothes" Alexander suggested, since she can''t just continue their jouney she will get a cold if she continued. The little girl nodded knowing this problem, she looked at Alexander and he gazed back at him. After a few moments the little girl face turned red. "Mr, can you give me space it''s embarassing" She uttered in a mosquesto voice as she looked down shyly. Alexander was stunned he could not help but laugh inwardly from this, but he know that this was good since the little girl understood the difference between a man and a woman even though she was just a little child. "Ok, I''ll be waiting over there" Alexander replied with a smile as he gave the little girl some space. The little girl seeing him walking away, took her clothes off as she dried it in the big rock where the sun shone brightly on it. The heat was strong so it just only took 30 minutes to be dried but its still wet a little but still its good since it was much more comfortable to wear. She then walked towards Alexander who was sitting with its back to the trees closing his eyes. His breath was calm and he seems to be resting, feeling the presence of life his eyelids open and stood up. "So you''re good to go?" Alexander inquired. "Yes Mr." The little girl replied with a huge smile. Alexander nodded then they went back to the main road to continue their walk, he glanced at the lively girl and asked something that he seems to have forgotten. "I forgot to ask, what''s your name again?" Alexander spoked while they continue to walk. The little girl hearing the abrupt question replied, "My name is Anya Chalotra, Mr.""I see so it''s Anya, you don''t need to call me Mr. since that seems to be more respectful, just treat me as a brother and call me Alexan...Alex. Just call me Alex," Alexander replied with a smile. He stopped and decided to change his name to Alex since it would be cool that way."Big brother Alex," she spoke cutely as she looked at him with her big round eyes. None of them spoke as they continued to walk. As they traveled for about an hour, Anya stopped in her tracks and glanced sideways. Alexander noticed this of course and glanced at her. "Uncle, I remembered that tree over there. We are close to my place now," Anya said excitedly as she pointed at the big tree, where its fruits were apple-shaped, but its color are like that of a grape. Chapter 50 - 49 Finally Arrived As Anya pointed toward the tree, she walked over to it, gently touching its bark and gazing up at the ripe fruit hanging above. Alexander followed closely behind, intrigued by the strange, otherworldly tree. "Is this even edible?" Alexander muttered to himself, eyeing the unusual fruit with suspicion. Anya sensing his curiosity, turned to him with excitement in her eyes, "Big brother, the fruit of this tree is really delicious! You should try it!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. Alexander looked at the bluish-purple apple in his hand, wondering what it would taste like. After all, it looked like an apple from his world but with a color more like a grape. "Well, here goes," he thought, trusting Anya''s excitement. With a small leap, he plucked the apple and took a small bite, hearing the familiar crunch of a juicy fruit. And as the flavor hit his tongue, he chewed thoughtfully as his face remaining neutral, giving nothing away. The juice spread through his mouth, and the taste was surprisingly rich and sweet, with a slightly tangy aftertaste. Anya watched eagerly, her big eyes full of anticipation. Alexander took another bite, this time more forceful, "It''s... different, but in a good way," he finally said, nodding approvingly. "I thought so," Alexander mused to himself. "It''s just like an apple, only in a different color." The mystery was solved, and his mind was at ease. Anya, her eyes wide with curiosity, asked eagerly, "So, big brother, how is it? Is it good?" Alexander smiled and nodded, "Yes, it''s good," he said, still savoring the unique flavor. Anya giggled softly, her innocent face lighting up with joy, "Big brother, let''s go to my place now," she suggested, remembering something important. "Alright," Alexander agreed, letting her take the lead. The forest around them wasn''t too dense, and the bushes and vines were easy to navigate. After about ten minutes of walking, they reached the edge of the trees, and just beyond that, Alexander could see a small village nestled in the distance. Seeing the village in the distance, Anya''s excitement bubbled over. She stopped in her tracks and jumped up and down, with her face brighting with joy. "Big brother, that''s where I live!" she exclaimed, her voice full of longing and happiness. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But her mood shifted slightly as she added, "Let''s go. I''m afraid my big sister is still worrying about me." Alexander hearing this nodded casually, and the two of them quickened their pace. They left the forest behind and entered the grassy area surrounding the village. A dirt path, likely used by carriages and travelers, stretched out before them. As they walked closer, the village came into sharper view. Alexander noticed the bad situation of the place, since the houses was made from old, weathered wood, some of them with roofs even had holes in them. Leaving the homes vulnerable to both cold and heat. The sight gave him a sense of the village''s simplicity, but also its struggle. As Alexander and Anya walked further into the village, the people around them cast wary, untrusting glances in his direction. Their eyes were filled with suspicion, clearly not used to seeing strangers. Alexander noticed their reactions but paid little attention, since his focused instead was returning Anya safely to her home so he could continue with his mission. However, the villagers'' expressions changed when they saw Anya walking beside him. Shock and surprised filled their faces, as if they couldn''t believe she was back. They all though she died two days ago, it was really a surprised for him to survived. Alexander could feel their gazes on him, which is heavy and curious, as if they were trying to figure out who he was and what his intentions were. Anya, used to the village''s watchful eyes, was unfazed. As they reached the center of the village, Alexander noticed a large stone adorned with a ruby-like gem at its peak. It gave off a strange and unfamiliar energy, causing him to pause and study it for a moment. Suddenly, the sound of heavy breathing caught his attention. He turned to his right and saw a woman, her clothes were in tatters, her hair was unkempt, and her skin was smeared with dirt. She looked frail and malnourished, cause her bones were slightly visible beneath her thin frame. Despite her appearance, there was a certain intensity in her gaze as she looked at Anya, a mixture of relief and joy. The woman rushed toward them, her pace quick and unsteady. When Anya saw her, her face lit up with joy, tears streaming down her cheeks. Without hesitation, she ran to the woman with her arms outstretched. "Sister, little Anya missed you!" she cried as she dashed toward her. The woman then knelt down and scooped Anya into her arms, holding her tightly as tears welled up in her own eyes. They clung to each other, with their sobs was the only sound in the village square, as they savored their reunion. After a long moment, the woman put Anya down gently, her hands was trembling as she cupped her little sister''s rosy cheeks, checking her over with a deep sense of worry. "Anya, are you okay? Were you hurt? Did anything bad happen to you out there?" Her voice was thick with concern, as her tears falling freely again. "Please forgive me for leaving you behind. It was the only way for you to escape safely," she added, her guilt evident as she wiped away her tears. Anya shook her head vigorously, her eyes still filled with tears, but her smile was shining through. "No, big sister! I''m fine! Big brother Alex helped me, and I''m safe now." The woman turned to Alexander with her eyes filled with gratitude, but also a hint of uncertainty, as if still processing the presence of a handsome man Infront of him. Anya smiled warmly, pressing her face against her sister''s cheek to comfort her. After a moment, she pulled back and reassured her, "Sister, I''m really fine. When you distracted the big bear, I managed to escape. I wandered the forest for two days, but luckily I met big brother Alexander. He helped me find my way back." As she finished speaking, Anya glanced back at Alexander, who stood a few steps away, who was shirtless observing their reunion with a gentle smile. Her eyes widened as she took a good look at Alexander, she saw the scars covering his chest, the claw marks, bite marks, and all sorts of wounds that told a story about a battle is deeply engraved in those. Despite his intimidating appearance, his expression was calm and there was kindness in his smile as he looked at her. For a moment she was lost in thought, wondering about the pain and hardships this man must have endured. Not knowing that Alexander, thanks to his berserker instinct the pain he felt was lowered due to its effects. But beyond the scars, she couldn''t help but notice his striking appearance, he was the most handsome man she have ever seen in her life. His smile was warm and reassuring, and she felt a deep sense of gratitude toward him. Aeloria blushed lightly as she received Alexander''s warm smile. Holding Anya''s small hand tightly, she stepped forward, her gratitude was evident. "Thank you for saving my little sister, Anya," she said softly. "I, Aeloria Luminara, am in your debt, Alex." She bowed slightly in appreciation, but Alexander gently stopped her helping her stand upright. "No need to bow," he said, shaking his head with a reassuring smile. "And please, just call me Alex, no need for formalities." Aeloria nodded, her heart filled with gratitude, while Anya smiled up at both of them, clearly happy to be reunited with her sister. Even though she was covered in dirt and grime, her natural beauty was undeniable. Her striking cat-like eyes, with their upward tilt at the corners, gave her a fierce and alluring look. Her hourglass figure and graceful presence only added to her undeniable charm, even in such disheveled circumstances. Totally used to this, Alexander just appreciated it. This woman in front of him was so beautiful that her charm was even greater than that of the women in his world. "Is this just a normal girl in this world? It''s impossible to find this kind of high-quality girl from a village, right?" Alexander wondered, as he held his chin. Feeling the intense gaze towards her, Aeloria was embarrassed, of course. Anya, who was beside her, shook her palm, making her glance at her. "Oh yeah, big sister, we don''t need to be afraid when gathering food and fruits right now. Big brother Alex just killed that bear into a pulp, avenging us!" she said with awe on her face, as she looked at her happily. Hearing this, Aeloria was stunned, "The Werebear is dead? That''s impossible! That beast is so powerful that even warriors are no match for it." she said inwardly with a shocked expression on her face her embarrassment was momentarily forgotten. Her gaze shifted to Alexander, and her eyes were wide with surprise and admiration. "You killed the Werebear?" she asked, her voice was a mix of disbelief and gratitude. Alexander scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit awkward with all the attention. "Is that bear famous in this place?" He said inwardly. "It wasn''t that big of a deal," he said modestly. "I just happened to be there at the right time." he continued. Anya, who was still full of excitement tugged on her sister''s hand, "Big brother Alex fought it like a hero, sister! You should have seen it too!" Aeloria glanced between her sister and Alexander, her heart swelling with relief and gratitude. "I don''t know how to thank you enough," she said softly. "That beast has been terrorizing the village for weeks, making it dangerous to even leave for food. You''ve done more than just saving Anya, you''ve saved us all from some trouble." Aeloria said with gratitude again. "There''s no need to thank me," he said, shaking his head with a smile. "I''m just glad I could help." "Can I ask, if it''s not inappropriate, are you and Anya related by blood? Since your last names seem to be different," Alexander asked, looking at Aeloria''s face. Hearing his inquiries, her face turned serious and then changed to sadness. She was about to reply when suddenly a bunch of footsteps sounded in the surroundings. Looking at the source of the sound, she bowed her head as the man, who seemed to be in his fifties, arrived near her. "Aeloria, who is this gentleman over here?" he said without any dillydallying, trying to get to the point. "Village Chief good afternoon to you, this gentleman here is named Alex. He''s the one who saved and helped Anya, my little sister, back here," she greeted and replied, as she stopped bowing her head. The man just nodded his head and looked at Alexander, "What is your purpose in coming to our village? Since Ariana village is located in the innermost part of this island, it''s impossible for you to have no objective in coming here whatsoever," he said, his eyes glowing with red light as he looked at Alexander. Alexander looked at the man who seemed to be in his fifties, a middle-aged man you could say. He was a man in his fifties with a sturdy, average build. His black hair was slightly peppered with gray and combed neatly, showcasing a bit of receding hairline. His face was marked by laugh lines and a hint of weathering, reflected a life well-lived full of vitality. He had warm brown eyes and a neatly trimmed beard that added a touch of good living. His skin was light tan, and his attire was simple yet tidy. There were no tattered clothes, which made Alexander narrow his eyes. But hearing the sentence in the man''s last statement, his mouth was in awe. Sadly, his expression remained stoic as ever. "I finally arrived," he thought inwardly, what a coincidence that Anya is actually one of the inhabitants of this place. Chapter 51 - 50 Suspicious Seeing his blank expression, which seemed like he hadn''t heard him, the man frowned in dissatisfaction. "Young man, did you not hear what I said?" he spoke again in a cold voice. Alexander, who was back in his thoughts, glanced at the middle-aged man''s face, who seemed to be the village chief of this place. "Well, for my objective I''m actually a mercenary, you can say. I accepted a mission about some strange happenings in this village," Alexander replied, looking at the village chief''s face. Hearing his statement, the village chief just stared at him intently he then looked back. "We have no more homes for you to sleep in, also we have no more food and clothing to offer for you. So, it''s up to you if you still want to do the mission," he said as he walked away, leaving the three of them. Alexander didn''t leave his gaze towards the village chief. He looked at him intently. Since he felt that the village chief was so weird he does not know it but, he can feel it. Aeloria, who was in front of Alexander, was embarrassed by their chief''s behavior. She looked back and glanced at Alexander in the face, "Sorry about that, Alexander. I think the chief is just so overwhelmed from the problems that this village is going through, right now" she said softly. Alexander just shook his hands, telling her not to mind it, "If you don''t have a place to stay, you can just stay at my house, but it''s not a comfortable place. That is, if you want to," she said in a mosquito voice, since this was her first time inviting a man into her home. Hearing this, Alexander was happy. Of course, as long as he could stay in this village and complete the mission, then there was no problem. "Sure, I can go and live in your place for now. If it''s okay to you that is," he replied with a bright smile. "You''re very welcome. Let''s go now, since they''ve been eyeing at us for a while now" Aeloria replied, with a slight smile, as they began to walk away. The stares of the village people were not leaving his figure, but he didn''t care, "Oh, yeah, about your village chief, there''s something I want to ask," he said while they were on the verge of traveling. "Sure, if there is something on your mind, you can ask," she replied, holding Anya''s palm afraid to lose it again. "About your village chief, is there something strange about him?" he said with his brows upwards. Aeloria narrowed her eyes when she heard this, "There''s nothing strange about our village chief, but..." her voice trailed off in the end. "But what?" Alexander said with a scrutinizing gaze. "Well, I don''t know what to say because, our village chief is always a cheerful and a welcoming type of person. But this attitude changed about three weeks ago. And this is when those beasts started to attack and raid our village nonstop. We don''t know what the specific reason for this sudden change, but I think it''s just because he was tired" she said lost in her thoughts. "But even though his attitude changed, our village chief''s heart is still pure as ever. Sometimes he offered us food so we don''t starve, making him our savior in this time of crisis," Aeloria uttered, feeling grateful for their chief''s heroic deeds. But to Alexander, this didn''t sound right at all, "Helping? Giving away food to the starving? The story doesn''t add up at all," he muttered inwardly. From his observation, the village chief was more than meets the eye. If they were in a time of crisis, why was everyone in the village was starving and looked so malnourished? And why was he the only one who seemed so healthy and full of vitality? Also, where did his food come from? His clothes didn''t even have any grime or tatters. It seemed like he wasn''t under any poverty at all. Alexander racked his mind, wondering what that village chief was hiding, but decided to put it aside for now since he still had a lot of time before the mission ended. Suddenly, he saw that Aeloria stopped in her tracks, making him stand still as well. "We have arrived," Aeloria spoke, as she looked back towards him. Seeing where they lived Alexander felt bad from the both of them, the house appears to be an old, abandoned wooden structure. Its roof is made of wooden shingles, many of which are missing or damaged, indicating significant wear and tear. The walls are constructed from horizontal logs, also weathered and deteriorating and some parts are even missing. Making any animals or insects to have access to the place. There''s a single window on the left side, and an open doorway in the center. Surrounding this house are big trees. When they got inside, Alexander could see that there was really not a lot of things inside. There was only a fireplace for cooking food, and a single mud pot for making soups or boiling water and some bowls and spoons. In the corner, there was a bed a crude one at that. It consisted of uneven splintered planks of wood randomly arranged and barely held together. There was no mattress, just a thin layer of straw that did little to soften the hardness of the wood beneath. The bed seemed more like a rough platform, providing a slight elevation off the ground but offering little comfort at the least. Seeing Alexander inspecting the place, she was embarrassed, since this was the only thing she could offer. "I''m very sorry if this wasn''t what you were expecting. It''s just that life is so hard these days," she said, with her cheeks red. Alexander just smiled at this and didn''t feel like it was bad at all. When he was thrown away, he always slept in the streets. At that time he even almost died from the cold weather. Every night, he could only think of a solution, and this was what drove him to work in order to live in a comfortable place. Even though it was hard at first after getting the hold of it, like picking up trash and selling it. he made a small house in the garbage camp, making him at least fell at ease. But it did not end their after a few weeks some homeless person took his home driving him away. He couldn''t fight the man since there were two of them, and he was so young at that time. With his weak strength, what could he do? So, he could only leave unwillingly even though he''d made that small house from garbage stuff. It took him weeks to make it so comfortable. So, this time he doubled his work, and after accumulating much money, he finally lived in a small rental house that he could pay for 500 pesos each month. Even though the space was small, there was no electricity, and the rental room was filled with cobwebs, spiders, and cockroaches, he was happy to have a roof over his head. He still felt happy since he now had a sense of home. So after a few years, he finally had a stable job as a construction worker. Even though he was still young, the foreman didn''t really want to accept him, but after begging him for hours, he gave him work that paid him about 100 pesos every day. Since his work wasn''t a heavy load type of job, the only thing he needed to do was assist the workers. Reminiscing these memories, he couldn''t help but sigh at how hard life had been for him, "Don''t worry about it. I''ve tried living in the streets when I was young, if you want to know," he said, while pursing his lips. Aeloria just made a low giggle as she looked at Alexander without any shirt to cover his upper body, "Don''t you feel cold? Wait, I have a boy''s shirt in here. I wonder if you can wear this," she said as she exited the house and went just beside the her home. There was a small thin rope, probably for hanging clothes. That is tied from two trees facing each other. She took a brown T-shirt that was made of low-quality fabric. It wasn''t dirty, since she''d washed it and left it hanging there. Aeloria then went back inside and passed the clothes towards Alexander. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t waste any time and wore the T-shirt that was given to him. Even though the clothes were of low quality and felt a little rough against his skin, he didn''t feel any discomfort at all. "Um, Alexander, could you please take care of Anya for a while? I haven''t showered for two days because I''ve been looking for Anya, making me so dirty and stinky. Could you take care of her for a while, while I clean myself? It won''t be long," she said, looking down. Her face was red, mentioning this kind of stuff, while she caressing her shoulders. "Sure, you can leave Anya with me while you go. Don''t worry, she''s a well-behaved child," he replied with a smile, as he took Anya''s hands from her palm. Aeloria thanked him, then went out of the house. Since it was afternoon, the bright sun was still hanging high above the sky. Anya then let go of his hands and went into the bed, closing her eyes. Feeling her calm breaths, he smiled slightly. "This little girl must be tired after all that walking," he muttered inwardly, afraid of disturbing the little girl''s slumber. Alexander then went out and observed the place. The house was located on the far side of the village, nestled close to a tall rocky mountain. This location was dangerous, since if an earthquake occurred, it would destroy the place, or possibly some lives might be taken away in the process. The place was surrounded by trees, and if possible, some beasts might attack this area, since this location was already in the wild. Alexander then circled the house, and after that, he jumped to a tree, wanting to see the surroundings clearly. So he tried to hop from tree to tree, and now he got a good idea of his surroundings. Then he saw that there was a flowing river located close to him. Hopping for just a few more trees and standing in a branch, the flowing river was clean and spotless. And what caught his sight was that there was a woman there, cleaning the grime and dirt from her flawless body. He could clearly see her unclothed appearance from up here. Alexander couldn''t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva on his throat, seeing this scene. The way her hand moved gracefully from her chest and abdomen all the way down to her knees and toes. Her plump breasts swayed gently. He even saw her pink nipples from up here, making him dazed. When Aeloria changed position and was now longer facing his direction, and he could almost see her garden, with that he hurriedly left, afraid that what he was doing right now was clearly wrong. Aeloria, who glanced at her surroundings warily, as if someone was looking at her, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. "Is it just my imagination?" she frowned, as she continued cleaning herself in the river. While Alexander went his way back to the house, after arriving, he went inside and sat just a few steps away from Anya, who was asleep. He sat in a lotus position and decided to cultivate. As he gathered the energy using the Vital Gathering Technique, there were no changes since he felt that the energy here was so thin. Even his world was much better than this world. But there was something different, other than the energy he was absorbing. An energy that was different and seemed to be a bluish color that''s in the shape of a string, was surrounding the area. He didn''t know what it was since the energy he was familiar with was totally different from this. Chapter 52 - chapter 51 Anyas Dark Past Just to be safe, he didn''t absorb that bluish energy, but only the regular energy which he usually absorbed. After a few minutes, there were still no changes, and he felt a shadow cast across his face. After opening his eyes, he saw that Aeloria was already done with her routine. "Sorry if I took a long time. The dirt and grime were sticking so hard to my skin that it took me a while to get it off," Aeloria said with a blush on her face. Alexander just shook his hands, telling her not to mind it. Remembering the scene, he could not help blush from what he had done. "Let''s go outside. Anya seems to be sleeping. Let''s not disturb her by making noise," he said in a low voice. Aeloria nodded her head as she took the first step to exit the small wooden house. When they were outside, they went to a table where there were two seats made out of rock. Alexander sat down while Aeloria sat in the opposite direction, so they were now facing each other. Alexander gazed at her intently. She was actually much more beautiful when there was no dirt and mud covering her. She was a beauty that even Alexander was taken back by the huge change. If she was back in his world, every entertainment company would likely hire her for an unimaginable price. "Oh yeah, you didn''t give me any reply when I asked you this earlier. Is it okay to ask? Are you and Anya related by any chance?" Alexander asked remembering, since their last names were totally different. Hearing his question, she was saddened, and her brows trembled slightly, "Well, I think you already know that me and Anya aren''t really related. I believed that you already know why her parents died, right?" she asked, looking into his eyes. Alexander nodded and replied, "Yes, she said that her father died during a hunting trip when he was attacked by some beast, while her mother died of an illness," he stated, recounting the story Anya had told him back their. Hearing this, her eyes trembled, and a deep sigh escaped her mouth. Alexander, seeing her expression, couldn''t help but think that this wasn''t really the case at all. "Actually, that story wasn''t true about his father dying. They were killed by bandits when he was out hunting for food. The villagers witnessed that they offered him a chance to live if he gave his wife which is Anya''s mother, to them to be their plaything to pass the time. Her father retaliated, but those bandits were stronger, killing him in the process," she said, her voice trembling, thinking about Anya''s life experiencing the loss of love ones as a child. "After that, her mother and Anya were left, but did the bandits leave them? No, they didn''t. One bandit went to their house, and one of the villagers heard their conversation. He said that if she didn''t follow instructions to go to their place every day, her daughter would be implicated in this trouble. Aunt was so scared at that time that she had no choice but to comply, and the villagers were too weak to handle this," she uttered, clenching her teeth. Alexander frowned at this. The story was actually darker than it seemed, "What is the condition that those bandits gave to keep her daughter safe in return?" he said, his voice becoming heavier. "You already know what those conditions are, since what do disgusting men want from a woman anyway? Because Aunt was so beautiful that those bandits couldn''t resist at all. They offered her to serve all of their people back in their lair. She could only resign herself to her fate unwillingly, since Anya was the only thing left for her. She then followed what they instructed. She left early and told me, if it was okay, to take care of Anya while she went to ''work''. She didn''t know that I knew where she was going, and I tried to stop her, but her mind was already made up. At night, when it was dark, and Anya was asleep, a knock came. When I saw it was Aunt, I cried just by seeing her appearance. Her face was so red and pale that it felt like she was out of breath. Her clothes were tattered, and there were many whip marks on her body. Her smile was still hanging on her face, and she looked at me with her eyes that were devoid of any life. Looking down, I could see that her lower part was bleeding continuously, as she fell toward me, gasping for breath," Aeloria said, her eyes were deep red, while gritting her teeth in rage. A line of tears began to fall down her face. Alexander''s face was calm, but his heart was thumping heavily. His emotions were dormant, but they calmed down suddenly, as if he wasn''t affected at all. But one word appeared in his mind, which is to exact "Revenge." Imagine a happy life with your family being ruined for their own amusement. It was something only a madman could do. It was even worse than a devil itself. "Every morning when I woke up, I could see that Aunt was smiling, looking at me, trying to comfort me, telling me she was feeling better than ever before. She then left before Anya could wake up, and when she returned that night, she was in terrible condition again. Her lower part was still bleeding, which greatly affected her health. Every night she came back, more injuries seemed to appear. Her face wasn''t affected, since that''s what the bandits were after. I even saw that her nipples were bitten off, making her cry out in pain when she tried to sleep. This torture kept going on for months, until she got so sick she couldn''t walk anymore but still keep going. Her stomach was now bulging, and she was impregnate by those bastards at that time, but they didn''t care about it, as they kept playing with Aunt. As days passed, she became seriously ill, making a slight move impossible she can only lie down to her sickbed, and she passed away not long after, filled with bad memories of torture," Aeloria sobbed. Her tears kept falling from her eyes, and she even choked sometimes as she told this story. Alexander clenched his hands to a fist and swore in his heart that before he left, he must avenge Anya''s parents so their souls could finally pass away with no resentment. "I''m sorry for asking about this," he spoke. He hadn''t known that by asking this question, he was bringing back those bad memories. Aeloria wiped the tears on her face and tried to make a smile, "Don''t worry about it. Since you know Anya, knowing this is information is good," she said softly. "But how did Anya not know about this situation?" he asked, narrowing his gaze. Aeloria just sighed and replied, "That''s because Aunt kept this a secret from her, afraid that she would hold resentment in her heart. At that time, when Aunt was leaving, Anya had been looking for her, and she could only see her in the middle of the night, tired and sleepy, so she had no idea. After that month, she only saw her for the first time not leaving their home, which is when she was sick. So those were their last moments before Aunt passed away," she said, as she hung her head. "But that was a very long time ago. It''s been a year since her parents died," she continued. Alexander nodded his head as he asked another serious question, "They did come back?" His voice was calm as he said this. Aeloria nodded her head in fear and replied, "When Aunt passed away after a year. They came back, and one of them turned their target on me and gave me the same option as Aunt. I was so angry and scared at the same time, but I treated Anya as my little sister, starting from when she was just a child, since Aunt always helped me when I was young back then. So I agreed to their request, and just by seeing his ugly smile made me so enraged," she said, her nostrils flaring with anger. "But luckily, that day was the start of the trouble. This is when the beasts started attacking the village. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, when the bandits heard this, they tried to go near the area to capture both me and Anya, but because of the large amount of beasts that were being attracted by our village, they fled in fear and never bothered me again in the past three weeks," she said in relief, but the death of their village because of the calamity made her not happy about this. Alexander couldn''t help but sigh in relief, since Aeloria didn''t experience what Anya''s mother went through, since it could have been a disaster and a dark memory to be remembered. His eyes then narrowed as he asked something, "Did your village chief not do anything when this happened?" "No, he''s powerless at that moment. Since if he wants to partake in it, all of the villagers will also be caught in the spiral as well," she replied, answering Alexander''s question. "Powerless?" he muttered inwardly, deep in thought. He sensed that the village chief was more than meets the eye. His gut told him that the chief wasn''t normal, since he felt something weird about him. But since his mission was to find the culprit, then the old man was his first suspect. Alexander then stood up, wanting to investigate the reason why these beasts were attracted to this village. Seeing him stand, Aeloria glanced at him, wondering what he wanted to do. Seeing her questioning look, he smiled at her of course, "I''ll be out and investigate. I''ll be back, and you don''t need to gather food for today, since it will be dangerous at this time. I''ll return bringing lunch," he said with a smile. He then diverted his glance to the forest and walked his way, bidding farewell. Aeloria was about to say something, but he had already walked in. She was worried that bad things must happen to him, but when she remembered Anya telling her about how he single-handedly dealt with a werebear, she calmed down a bit, but the worry was still there. Alexander, who was inside the place checking the area, hopped from tree to tree, circling the village. He didn''t feel anything abnormal at all. After circling the area, there were no beasts, but only animals that were not ferocious. And only herbivores were found. "What''s the source of this trouble?" he muttered, deep in thought. After hanging in the tree for about an hour and seeing that the sun was about to set, he decided to return. But first, he needed to bring lunch. He directed his way to the river, from where Aeloria had cleaned herself. If he was right, that river must be filled with fish. After hopping like a ninja, leaving afterimages from tree to tree, he arrived at the serene river. Alexander then jumped down from above. As his feet touched the ground, he only took off his shorts and T-shirt so his clothes wouldn''t get wet. Yes, he wouldn''t get cold, but sleeping in wet clothes was uncomfortable don''t you think? With just his boxer shorts, he then went into the water, which reached over his waist only. He focused his attention on the clean water. And he could even see its bottom, making it easy for him to spot the fish that were swimming merrily, not knowing the impending danger is closing in on them. With a shoot of his arms through the water, the speed was so fast that it caught the fish. With a grip the fish couldn''t get away, it felt like it was being held by an iron grip that no amount of movement could make its body free. Chapter 53 - 53: Chaoter 52 Eating a good meal When he felt the water was nowhere anymore, it tried to wiggle in retaliation, but it was useless. Alexander just looked at the fish in amusement and threw it offshore. The ripples he created were so strong that they scared the fish in the river. "You better hide little fishy," he muttered with his tongue licking his lips. Then he disappeared from his spot, appearing to the fish that thought he was safe. When it felt that its body was being gripped, removing its freedom to move, then felt the river water was gone and it was flying to the land, it jumped crazily trying to breathe. Alexander did this repeatedly, catching 10 fish in no time. Just five fish were already enough for a three-family household since the size he caught was over 18-20 cm tall, which is big. [You killed level 2 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 1 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 1 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 1 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] [You killed level 2 Fish. You''ve gained 0 exp] Seeing this notification, he nodded because the system really did what he wanted to do, it is to show the killed beast and animal levels when being unalive. He didn''t feel anything by getting 0 exp points, since he knew that his level was high and killing a fish wouldn''t increase it. Alexander then walked back ashore, donning his clothes. He took the fish from the ground and carried it all back to his current home. The sun was already not visible in the sky, and the place was already dark. When he arrived, he saw that Anya was playing by using a stick to draw something in the ground. Glancing sideways and seeing the figure of a man walking towards her, she was scared, but seeing his face, she smiled brightly and shouted. "Big Sister! Big Brother Alex is back with lots of fishhh!" she said excitedly, throwing the stick in her arms far away as she ran towards Alexander. Hearing this, a woman inside the house walked out. Seeing Alexander with lots of fish, she was surprised. She hurriedly walked towards him and looked at the fish in his arms in a closer view. "This is a lot," she said with amazement. This food in front of her was something she could only dream of having. Alexander just smiled at this, "Give this to me, Alex since you were the one who caught it. I''ll cook it for you to eat," Aeloria spoke softly, she''s like a housewife talking to her husband. He nodded and passed the fish to her. After taking it, she began to skin it using a knife made from sharp metal. Although the blade seemed overused and had lost some of its sharpness, Aeloria was already accustomed to it, making her cut the food with ease. She then walked behind the house to wash it. Over there was a large container made of stone, dug into the ground. This stone basin, carved out and filled with water, served as their makeshift washbasin. Alexander, seeing this, didn''t know that there was actually clean water there. She then cleaned the fish and after cutting it, she went inside and made a fire. Of course, Alexander was outside during this period, just sitting at the table with Anya sitting on his lap while playing with a wooden stick. He played with his hair making it a ponytail and other kind of hairstyle, but of course only the basic ones since his not really a hairstyler. Then he smells a sweet aroma inside the house, Alexander saw that the surrounding place was dark, so he decided to lighten up the place. Since it was also a great way to scare any kind of animal in radius. Using a branch, he lit up the stick making a small fire until it began to grow in size. Now the place was much brighter than before. When he stood up from the campfire, he saw that Aeloria was holding the cooking pot, made of mud, all the way to the table. Alexander then stood up and assisted her. He took the hot pot and put it on the table. Aeloria then went back inside and took three bowls and two spoons. She only had two spoons since it was just the two of them. She tried giving a spoon to Anya and Alexander. But Alexander declined since Aeloria would be spoon less. And since the soup made out of fish inside was hot, how could she blow on it? Should she blow from the bowl? Then it would take a long time. No matter how much she tried to give it away, Alexander declined, making her stop and decide to use the spoon. As Aeloria took each bowl and poured it with a bowl of fish soup, by just opening the lid, the delicious aroma wafted in the air. Making Alexander''s stomach grumble in hunger, hearing this, Aeloria just smiled and giggled at the same time. Making her look cute, while on the other hand, Anya was laughing as she pointed at Alexander''s stomach. "Hahaaha, Big Brother Alex stomach can''t wait to taste Big Sister''s fish soup," she laughed softly. Her voice was a good ring in his ears. "Yeah, yeah. Your big brother is hungry," he said with a laugh, not embarrassed at all. As Aeloria placed the bowl of soup in front of him, Alexander then first blew on it and sipped on the broth. He was amazed. As Alexander took his first sip of the soup, he was immediately captivated by its otherworldly taste. The broth was rich and savory, yet it had a subtle sweetness that danced on his tongue. The flavors were layered, with hints of tangy berries and aromatic herbs that mingled perfectly with the delicate fish. He couldn''t help but take another sip, savoring the complexity of the flavors that seemed to transport him to a different world. "Aeloria, this soup is incredible. Why is it so delicious?" Alexander asked, his curiosity was piqued. Aeloria just smiled, she was very pleased with his reaction, "The secret is in the ingredients?" she began. "To tell you I use Glow Berries, to add a unique tangy sweetness. If you want to know they grow in sunny meadows and are known for their enchanting flavor. For seasoning, well I added Spice Seeds, which give it that aromatic depth and a hint of licorice. And of course, Earth Root, a root vegetable that adds a subtle sweet aroma to the broth. All these ingredients combined create a harmonious blend that makes the soup taste so special." she spoked. Aeloria couldn''t help but feel proud seeing the two finish her delicious meal. She began organizing the bowls and spoons on the table, but Alexander wanted to help and she stopped him. She then went behind the wooden house where the clean water was used to clean the used utensils. Aeloria then called Anya to clean up so they could finally get a good night''s sleep. Anya listened to her big sister without saying anything. She was very cooperative. While Alexander, was full and satisfied, and was already up the tree sitting on its branch with his back against the bark. He gazed up and looked at the bright full moon. He glanced at the two of them playing and enjoying the moment. Looking back at the sky, he couldn''t help but smile. "I can only be with them for a few weeks. It''s better to clear any threats and problems to ensure their safety before I go home," Alexander thought to himself. Aeloria and Anya then went inside the house. Aeloria took some clothes to cover Anya up so she wouldn''t get cold. "Anya, go to sleep for now. The night is going to be long," Aeloria smiled as she squeezed Anya''s cheeks, which were very fluffy like a cat. She then scanned the place and Anya saw that Alexander was not there. "Big Sister, where is Big Brother Alex?" she mumbled in a low voice. Hearing her, Aeloria also scanned the place. She was about to stand up on the bed and look for him when a figure of a man became visible in the doorway. It was none other than Alexander. "Big Brother Alex, are you also going to sleep beside Anya?" Anya asked, looking at Alexander in the eye. Alexander hearing this, was stunned. He then glanced towards Aeloria who lowered her head while blushing. Her cheeks were in a shade of red. He was about to decline when he heard her speak up. "It''s... fine if you want... to," she said in a mosquito voice while her eyes didn''t meet his gaze. Hearing this, Alexander swallowed a mouthful of saliva. He could see her posture, which was really hot, added by her embarrassed and flirtatious actions. But Alexander could see that the bed was not really that big. If he decided to sleep in there, then skin contact would happen with just a slight movement, and also, he can''t just let Aeloria and Anya feel uncomfortable since the space was not that wide for the three of them. "Oh, don''t worry about it, I''ll just go and sleep outside. Don''t worry about it. Good night!" he said in a relaxing tone as he waved his hands and looked back, closing the door. Seeing him leave the house and not accept her suggestion, she sighed in relief. Since she knew that if he did get in, she couldn''t sleep in that situation since he was a man and she was a woman. But there''s some kind of loss deep down. "Am I not beautiful?" she mumbled inwardly, but shook this thought away as she hugged Anya, and both of them closed their eyes and went to sleep. Alexander, who was outside, was deep in thought. When he was inside, he could feel that the gust of cold wind was entering the house. Since there were a lot of holes, and if there was rain, it would be bad because they couldn''t sleep if that happened. "I should fix the house tomorrow, cover the roof and walls. Since cold is not only the problem, bugs, insects, and beasts are also a problem," he mumbled inwardly. After walking for a few steps, he slightly bent his knees and sprung upwards. He then landed above the tree. He sat in a lotus position as he began cultivating his technique, [Vital Drawing Technique] was now activated. The strings of energy in the surrounding area were absorbed by him. He can still feel the presence of the bluish-string of energy. But he doesn''t know what this is. He even tried to attract it towards him to absorb it, but what if it''s some kind of weird and dangerous energy? Since he cannot take a risk, he just put that aside, as he cultivates normally. At this time, there''s no unusual thing that happened that night as the day passed. As he opened his eyes, he felt that his power increased by only 10%, making him frown. The energy here is really relatively low, making his cultivation so slow. He then gazed up at the sky and saw that the moon was about to set. So he stood up and decided to find some breakfast for their morning food. As the gust of wind brushed towards him, he vanished in the spot, hopping from tree to tree. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 54 - 53 The Real Danger Alexander, who was running with the wind accompanying him above the trees, his speed was so fast that a whooshing sound could be heard. His location right now was already outside the location of the village. The forest he was in had now become a little unfamiliar, but he had already memorized the way back. So he went even deeper, stopping from his tracks, he sensed something. A faint energy seemed to be attracting his attention. He glanced at the waft of energy that he sensed, and it was located in the east side. Where trees, branches, vines, and tall grass were covering the way. He did not go in using the usual actions, but used the vines to glide himself through the way. In the forest, he moved like Tarzan, gliding effortlessly through the trees. The closer he got, the stronger the energy he felt. This made him wonder about the source of this. He continued his way, using vines to leap up and land on a tree branch. In the spot, there was a big clear zone over 30 meters wide, situated in the mountain range. A plant was placed in the center. Behind the plant, in a big rocky wall, where there was a large hole, that is dark as the night. "What kind of plant is that?" Alexander mumbled, glancing at the plant. He couldn''t get a good look at it since it seemed like a mist was covering the plant. He was about to jump to take a look at it when, suddenly, he saw that a bush far away trembled and a big animal appeared in his sight. As the bush trembled, a large, menacing creature emerged from behind it. The beast stood tall with an imposing aura, it was mix between a wolf and a bear, with a muscular build and dark shaggy fur covering its body. Its head was wolf-like, complete with sharp, bared teeth and glowing red eyes. The creature''s pointed ears twitched as it moved, and a long, thick tail swished behind it, adding to its intimidating presence. Standing well over 9 feet tall, the creature''s powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws made it clear that it was a formidable and dangerous animal. Its piercing gaze were locked onto the cave its seems like it saw something, suddenly a strong presence is overwhelming the place it even sends a shiver down his spine as he gazed at the monster that is slowly revealing itself. It was a large, rat which is a truly imposing sight. It stands over five feet tall standing on its two legs, making it towering even for a human. Its fur is a striking blend of black and fiery orange, almost as if it''s been dipped in molten lava. The orange sections of its fur glow with an inner light, giving it an otherworldly appearance. Its head is distinctly like a rat of course, with a long, pointed snout and sharp, bared teeth. Its eyes are glowing red, adding to its menacing expression. Its ears are large and pointed, and they twitch constantly, giving it an alert and watchful demeanor. The creature''s body is muscular but also slim, with thick, powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws. Its long, thick tail swishes behind it as it moves, adding to its intimidating presence. The weapon it held in his right hand is a long and sharp, it''s like a spear, but it also has a curved blade at the end, like a scythe. It''s a truly unique and deadly weapon, and it''s clear that the creature is skilled in using it. "A rat using a weapon, righttt!" Alexander, who was above the branch and was covered by the thick branches, was speechless as he looked at this scene. The creature that looked like a wolf but in a bizarre way, since its face was the only thing that resembled the face of a wolf, but only 20% was the same look as a wolf. If you describe it, it seems to be like an alien creature than a wolf. He looked at the rat that was glowing like molten lava, gnarling his teeth while releasing a growl. The rat just screeched to assert dominance from his large opponent. As it pounced, the rat did not face it head-on but dodged. The wolf-like creature disappeared in its position, leaving a gust of wind in its wake. The rat, undeterred by its speed, dodged it with great speed. Alexander, who was watching this battle, was astonished. The speed of the two beasts was too hard to be seen. Even he could only see two images appearing and disappearing in place. But he could hear a clanking sound, while a gust of wind force spread out. "What the heck are these two beasts made of?" Alexander mumbled inwardly, watching the battling. Then the rat held the spear-scythe on his hands as he spun it in his hands, as he rushed, breaking the sound barrier. The wolf-like creature had no time to dodge, when the rat was in range, he stopped and truck his weapon in just one motion. The attack released at least 20 consecutive attacks with great speed. Caught off guard, the beast was pushed back by hitting its chest. It puked a large amount of blood as it rolled on the ground. As it got up, its eyes were black like the abyss. Then the fur on its skin turned black, giving off a black mist in the surroundings. Then it opened its large mouth and condensed a large ball of dark energy as it released it. The rat, look at it with pure disgust in his gaze, he disappeared in his place with great speed. When he appeared, he had already arrived in front of the beast. Using the bottom part of the spear-scythe he ducked and thrust it up, hitting its jaw, closing its mouth. The condensed ball exploded in its mouth, as a large amount of black smoke seeped out of its mouth and nose. Its eyes were turning white as it swung from left to right like a drunk animal. It was totally defeated by the rat easily, like it was just a passerby in a roadside. Alexander couldn''t help but be afraid of the rat. The speed and power of its blows are not something he can contend with. As the wolf-like creature staggered, the rat burst out in his speed, closing in the distance. As the gust of wind, he was already behind the beast as he looked back at it. The wolf-like creature was not moving anymore and just stood there lifelessly. Suddenly, its body slowly cut into two, by something sharp, as it slowly dropped to the ground. The blood was slow to react that after it falls, it began to soak the grassy plain. Alexander, seeing how horrifying and cruel the rat in front of him was, sensed a huge dread upon him. As he looked at the rat, he saw that it also gazed at him. Seeing the fiery eyes of the beast, he was scared, very scared. But it just glanced at him as it goes back to his cave, making him feel relieved when he saw that it did not bother to kill him. He then decided to just go back, since it was already about to struck six in the morning. "I must not go deeper again. If I''m right, those two must be beasts that have reached level 50 or above," Alexander thought, as he took a sigh. He was still a vegetable on a chopping board in this world. For now, he must be careful from now on. If he died so suddenly by his stupid actions, that would be the worst way to fail the mission. As he traced his way back, he spotted two boars. "Lucky me, a breakfast presents itself to me," Alexander said with a smile, as he licked his lips. Then he disappeared above the tree, and when he reappeared, he just hit the head of the two beasts, knocking them unconscious. The two animals were so big that even one seemed like enough, but for two? It will be more than enough. Carrying the two back, he arrived at the familiar river. After crossing it, he arrived back and saw that Aeloria was already awake. She seemed to be looking for someone, and as he arrived, he dropped the two boars on the ground, creating a ruckus. Hearing the sudden loud sound, Aeloria shifted her head sideways and saw it was Alex. She then walked in large strides and seeing that he actually caught two big boars for breakfast, she was in awe yet again. "Alex, did you capture this?" she said filled with questions. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Of course, who else other than me, who was present here can capture these two?" Alexander said while pursing his lips. Even though the question she asked was so stupid, it was just that it was hard to believe. Two big boars that were the size of a 10-year-old child were brought here. She knows that this kind of animal can only be found in the outer skirts of the village. Carrying these back would take a long time since carrying two of these would be such a hustle for a normal person. But for Alexander, he was not a normal person. So, he cannot relate to their struggles at all. "You should rest for now, while I make breakfast," Aeloria said with a smile, motioning for Alexander to sit. Alexander nodded, and he couldn''t help but swallow a mouthful of breath, as he couldn''t wait to eat. The food made by Aeloria is the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. He couldn''t wait to taste it. Seeing his expression, Aeloria couldn''t help but smile as she took the two boars behind the house to be cut. After that, Alexander saw a little girl come out from the house, where his eyes were still dull and sleepy. Anya who just woke up and was still in a hazy state, walked towards Alexander. "Big brother Alex, I want to pla...." she did not finish her words, as her head fell towards his thighs, as she closed her eyes and slept again. Alexander couldn''t help but smile from this, so he carried her in his palms, placing her on his lap. As she slept soundlessly, after a while, she only woke up when Aeloria was done from cooking. The three of them then had a hearty meal, as Alexander swallowed the meat like a devourer. The taste was truly magnificent. Aeloria couldn''t help but be proud seeing Alexander enjoying her homemade dish so much. Suddenly, there was a man in tattered clothes who came running to their house. Chapter 55 - 54 Beast Attacks His breath was heavy as he ran like crazy in the path leading to Aeloria''s place. Alexander, with his keen senses, heard this of course. So, he stopped eating and glanced at that direction. Sensing him stop, Aeloria was confused, so she also shifted her gaze and saw a man she was familiar with. It was a man that seemed like a middle-aged one. He was malnourished with unkept hair, and his face was filled with black lines and dark circles. "Aeloria, this is an emergency, the beasts are invading again. Hurry and gather at the village chief''s place," the man shouted, as he increased his pace. When he arrived, he saw something that surprised him, "This, where did she have this much food?" he mumbled inwardly. But when he saw there was a man, which he clearly remembered yesterday who accompanied Anya back, he realized this man must be a hunter. Now this clearly explains the situation. Seeing his expression, which was terrified a while ago, and his hasty voice, she panicked as well so she did not finish her meal. "Alex, we should hurry now, the beast is attacking the village again," she uttered as she held Anya''s hands strongly as she stood up from her seat. Alexander did not dilly-dally as well and stood up. Even though he was not afraid, his mission was to protect the village. Even if there was no mission involving saving the lives of the villagers, he would still help. "Sure, let''s go now," he replied as all of them left the place. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As they ran down the path leading to the village, three wolves suddenly appeared in their sight. The beasts bared their teeth, snarling with menace. Anya, Aeloria, and the man were terrified at the sight of the wolves. As the wolves pounced, fear gripped them, and they instinctively stepped back. The man, was frozen in panic, he even stumbled and fell to the ground. Anya, however, remained calm, watching without fear, knowing they would be alright. She was right. As one of the wolves lunged, Alexander moved like a bullet, swinging his arm. His blow struck the wolf''s face, which distorted as the sickening sound of flesh tearing filled the air. The other two wolves, who are still in mid-air, were momentarily stunned. But Alexander wasted no time. He turned to the next wolf and delivered a powerful uppercut to its chest, sending it flying upwards. In one swift motion, he kicked the wolf in its exposed side, launching it like a broken toy into a nearby tree. The force of the impact shattered its spine. It took exactly three seconds as the three of them died, without even having the chance to fight back. Alexander then motioned them to continue running. The two were shocked from how fast he was to clear these three beasts. [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] [You killed a level 6 silver wolf. You''ve gained 4 exp] [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] "Is this man a warrior? Finally we are saved for now," he said, filled with happiness as he trembled with excitement. "He''s actually this strong," Aeloria mumbled with an astonishing expression. Without thinking any further, they pressed on toward the village. When Alexander and the others arrived, they saw a horrifying sight, beasts were attacking from all sides, they are too many to be counted. The bodies of the villagers lay scattered on the ground, their organs and flesh torn were apart and being devoured by the beasts. Alexander spotted a variety of creatures like, wolves, bears, flying monsters, and even snakes. His brow furrowed as he wondered what could be attracting such a diverse horde to this place. As he gazed at the lifeless bodies of the villagers, a surge of anger welled up inside him, and his killing intent flared. He fought to keep control, knowing it would be dangerous to lose himself to rage now. "Go and gather in a safe place. I''ll handle this," Alexander said, his voice steady as he moved swiftly, disappearing within seconds. Aeloria was about to speak, but Alexander had already vanished from her sight. She just nodded and led the group to safety. Nearby, a man was desperately crawling on the ground, tears streaming down his face as he clutched his injured thigh, which had been savagely scratched by sharp claws. As he struggled to survive, a flying creature that is part crow, part eagle, swooped down toward him. Hearing its screech from above, he knew his time had come. "I lived a good life," he muttered, closing his eyes as the creature''s claws closed in on him. Suddenly, Alexander appeared in a gust of wind. With a punch carrying the force of at least 30,000 pounds, he struck the creature in the chest, sending it hurtling like a cannonball. It crashed into the ground, leaving a trail of dirt in its wake. [You killed a level 11 Skyhawk. You''ve gained 11 exp.] The man, realizing he had been saved, was about to express his gratitude. But before he could, Alexander was already gone, moving like lightning as he massacred every beast in his path. It seemed as if he was teleporting, appearing at each creature that crossed his sight, leaving destruction in his wake. Alexander moved like a phantom, crushing his enemies each time he appeared. A silver wolf lunged at him, but with a single punch, the beast was sent flying. A snake attempted to coil around him, but he casually sidestepped and grabbed its tail. With a powerful grip, he swung the snake like a whip. As the snake''s massive body spin through the air in a circular motion, it slammed into the two silver wolves and the Skyhawk that were charging at him, causing them to stumble backward. Alexander then yanked the snake''s tail, pulling its head toward him in a daze. In a precise motion, he raised his right hand and brought it down with immense force, like a hammer. The blow struck the snake''s head, pinning it to the ground. The earth trembled under the impact, sending shockwaves and causing the ground to quake. Suddenly, Alexander spotted an old woman running slowly, he can see that she was being pursued by three wild boars, each much larger than normal. Their sharp tusks glistened, and it was clear that one strike could end the woman''s life. "You dare!!!" Alexander roared, his voice booming. His feet slammed into the ground, creating cracks like a spider''s web, and he shot forward like a bullet, closing the distance in an instant. Alexander reached the boar closest to the old woman just in time. With a powerful kick, he struck its exposed side, sending it flying like a car hit by a truck. Without hesitation, he twisted his waist and swung his leg sideways, striking the two other boars that were still stunned. The impact collided with their heads, slamming them together as they tumbled across the ground. "Are you alright, ma''am?" Alexander asked, concerned. The old woman turned and smiled warmly, reaching out to gently touch his cheek, "Young man, I''m fine. Thank you for saving these old bones of mine," she said gratefully. Alexander just smiled back, "You should head to a safe place now, I can''t stay with you this time," he replied, his eyes scanning the bushes and trees where more beasts were emerging. The old woman nodded, "Take care, young man," she said, continuing her slow walk away. Without a second thought, Alexander sprinted toward the approaching wave of beasts, fearless and relentless. The system chimed in his mind: [Berserker Instinct activated]. His eyes glowed a bloodthirsty red, and his killing intent flooded the area. Most beasts would normally hesitate or flee, but not this time. These creatures held their ground, stunning him for a brief moment. With no time to reconsider, Alexander charged into the fray, confronting the beasts head-on. The first beast lunged at Alexander, a monstrous boar with tusks as sharp as spears. Alexander just sidestepped with lightning speed, his fist crashing into the boar''s side with the force of a runaway train. The beast let out a pained roar as it was sent flying, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. Before he could catch his breath, another beast, a wolf-like creature with glowing eyes pounced on him. Alexander didn''t flinch. Instead, he delivered a powerful uppercut, sending the wolf sprawling back, its body convulsing from the impact. He spun around just in time to dodge the claws of a third beast, a massive bear with fur like steel. Alexander''s fists moved in a blur, each punch landing with bone-crushing force. The bear roared in fury, but Alexander''s relentless barrage left it no chance to strike back. A final, thunderous punch to its jaw sent the massive creature toppling over, utterly defeated. Despite the overwhelming number of beasts, Alexander didn''t even break a sweat. His strength was far beyond anything these creatures could match. He tore through the ranks of the beasts, every move a deadly combination of speed and power. Blood and fur flew in all directions as one by one, the beasts fell at his hands. Yet the onslaught continued, more and more creatures charged at him, their numbers seemingly endless. The ground was already littered with the bodies of fallen beasts. Suddenly, the sky darkened above him as a swarm of flying creatures descended, aiming to tear him apart. Alexander caught the claw of the flying creature mid-air, his eyes was glinting slightly. With tremendous force, he slammed it down, creating a small crater where the beast''s body lay flattened. "System, isn''t my Berserker Instinct skill active? Why aren''t these weaker beasts hesitating or fleeing at all?" Alexander asked, delivering a sharp jab to the chest of a cobra-like snake. The impact was so powerful that it killed the creature instantly. As Alexander continued his rampage, unaware of how many beasts he had slain, the system finally responded. [The reason your skill isn''t working is because the beasts are hypnotized. You can identify this by their glowing red eyes.] This revelation made Alexander pause for a moment, glancing at the creatures. Sure enough, their eyes glowed a sinister red as they charged at him, without hesitation. Questions filled his mind. "There''s a mastermind behind this," he muttered, as he unleashed a powerful palm strike against a wolf''s chest, sending it flying backward. The force of the blow also knocked back the rest of its pack that was right behind it. Despite the chaos, Alexander''s thoughts were racing. Who or what was controlling these beasts? Alexander hadn''t drawn his sword yet, reserving it as his trump card in case there was a hidden enemy. Suddenly, a blade as thin as a needle but sharp as a knife came hurtling toward him. Already on high alert, Alexander noticed it immediately. With a quick lean to the side, he dodged the blade effortlessly. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at a tree hidden by thick leaves. "Found you," Alexander said, grinning from ear to ear, before launching himself like a cannonball, leaping toward the tree where the attack had come from. Chapter 56 - 55 As Alexander launched himself toward the tree, a figure suddenly emerged to confront him. The man was cloaked in black from head to toe, his face covered with cloth, revealing only his piercing, emotionless eyes. Without hesitation, Alexander released a full-force palm strike, this time he was not holding back. The strike carried at least 50,000 pounds of force, and the air around him seemed to tremble with the sheer power behind the blow. The cloaked man''s eyes widened as he sensed the lethal intent. He sidestepped at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the strike. The force of Alexander''s palm hit the trunk of the tree behind him, splintering it into pieces. Wood and debris exploded into the air, but the black-cloaked man was quick on his feet and was already moving. In a fluid motion, the man flicked his wrist, and thin, razor-sharp needles shot out from his sleeve, aiming for Alexander''s chest. With a swift backstep, Alexander dodged the attack, the needles whizzing past him and embedding into the ground. But the man wasn''t done. With a snap of his fingers, the needles sprang to life, turning and flying back toward Alexander like guided missiles. Alexander smirked, clearly unfazed by this. With blinding speed, he spun around, deflecting the needles with the back of his hand. The sound of metal clashing against skin echoed as the needles fell uselessly to the ground. "You''ll have to do better than that," Alexander said, his voice was steady, as his eyes locked on his opponent. The man''s expression remained hidden behind the cloth, but his eyes betrayed his frustration. He twirled his fingers again, and from within his cloak, more hidden weapons appeared, this time, a chain with bladed edges. With a flick, the chain snapped forward, slashing through the air like a serpent. Alexander dodged the first strike with ease, but the man was quick, using the chain to redirect his attack. The bladed chain came from different angles, cutting through the air in rapid succession. But Alexander was faster. He dodged each strike, weaving through the air with perfect timing, his movements were fluid yet precise. In a swift motion, he grabbed the chain mid-swing, yanking it hard. The man stumbled forward, his eyes were wide with surprise, as Alexander pulled him closer. With the man off balance, Alexander unleashed a powerful punch toward his torso. The black-cloaked man twisted his body at the last second, narrowly avoiding a direct hit, but the force of the punch grazed him, sending shockwaves through his body. He winced as he felt the raw power of Alexander''s attack, realizing he was outmatched in strength. Desperate, the man quickly leaped back, gaining distance, and with a sharp whistle, the beasts surrounding them suddenly stirred. Wolves, boars, and even flying creatures, all with glowing red eyes, began to close in on Alexander. Their snarls and roars echoed through the forest, but Alexander remained calm, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "So, you''re controlling them," Alexander muttered, his expression hardening. He clenched his fists, his killing intent rising once more. The beasts lunged at him simultaneously, but Alexander moved like a whirlwind. He sidestepped the first wolf, delivering a bone-crushing kick that sent it flying into a nearby boar. The impact knocked both beasts out cold. The flying creatures swooped down from above, but Alexander leaped into the air, delivering a devastating spinning kick that connected with one of the creatures, sending it crashing to the ground. He landed gracefully, his eyes never leaving the cloaked man. The black-cloaked man, realizing his beasts were no match for Alexander, drew a short, curved dagger from within his cloak. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it flying toward Alexander''s throat. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In one swift motion, Alexander caught the blade between his fingers, stopping it inches from his neck. He crushed the blade with his bare hand, as the metal crumbling into pieces. "You''re running out of tricks," Alexander said coldly, his voice filled with deadly calm. He charged toward the man, who desperately unleashed a barrage of throwing stars and more hidden weapons. But none could find their mark. Alexander deflected each one, closing the distance with terrifying speed. Panicked, the man tried to summon more beasts with another sharp whistle, but Alexander was already upon him. In a blur of motion, Alexander grabbed the man by the arm, twisting it behind his back with a sickening crack. The man let out a pained gasp as Alexander slammed him to the ground with overwhelming force. The black-cloaked man coughed up blood, his body trembling from the pain. His red eyes flickered as he struggled to move. The beasts, sensing their master''s weakness, growled in rage. Alexander stood over the man, his eyes cold and merciless, "Who sent you?" he demanded, his voice sharp and commanding. But the man didn''t answer. Instead, his bloodshot eyes met Alexander''s, filled with both fury and fear. He struggled to speak, but no words came. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his breathing grew ragged. Even in his battered state, the man''s eyes glowed with the same unnatural red light that filled the beasts. Alexander knew there was more to this, someone or something must be pulling the strings. But for now, this enemy was done. The man, heavily injured and barely conscious, glared at Alexander with hatred. His body lay broken, but his eyes burned with defiance. Alexander stood tall, as the beasts around them was circling him it was uncountable since there were also flying creatures above the sky. The black-cloaked man glared up at Alexander, his body broken but his pride was intact. "Kid, I admit you''re strong, but you don''t know who you''ve offended," he growled, his voice laced with fury. Alexander just narrowed his eyes at this and gave a mocking smile, the disdain was clear on his face. "Oh? Care to tell me who I''ve offended? I''m very scared," he taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The man''s eyes glowed even brighter, a blood-red hue that matched the unnatural gleam in the eyes of the surrounding beasts. Alexander was unfazed by this, extending his hand to uncover the man''s face, curious to see who was behind the mask. But just as his fingers were about to reach the cloth, a sudden glint of light shot toward him. A shining needle, moving at lightning speed, aimed directly for Alexander''s head. Without missing a beat, Alexander dodged the projectile, leaning back just in time to avoid the lethal strike. His eyes snapped in the direction the needle had come from. Emerging from the shadows of the forest, another figure clad in black appeared. This one moved with a shadowy movement, his presence exuding a far more dangerous aura than the first. Alexander immediately sensed the shift in the air. The beasts, which had been weaker moments ago, now grew more aggressive, their snarls turning into roars as they began to encircle him. Even the flying creatures overhead swooped lower, their red eyes glowing fiercely. It was as if this new arrival had not only taken control of the beasts but had amplified their bloodlust. The new man in black clothes stood tall, his face also covered, but his eyes were cold, calculating. With a subtle gesture of his hand, more needles appeared between his fingers, glinting ominously in the faint light. "You''ve done enough," the newcomer said, his voice calm but commanding. "Leave him to me." The first man, still on the ground, coughed up more blood but managed a smirk. "You''re lucky," he rasped, his voice weak but filled with venom. "My brother won''t go so easy on you." Before Alexander could respond, the second man flicked his wrist, and a dozen more needles shot toward him, aimed with deadly precision. Alexander leaped back, twisting in mid-air as the needles sliced through the space where he had just been standing. He landed smoothly, eyes locked on the new threat. "Who are you?" Alexander questioned, his voice was firm, though he already had a sense this was no ordinary foe. "You don''t need to know," the second man replied coolly, as the beasts around them grew wilder. Wolves and boars charged at Alexander simultaneously, their movements erratic and ferocious. The ground shook with their stampede, while the flying creatures above began diving toward him, claws and fangs bared. Alexander didn''t hesitate. He moved like a whirlwind, his fists and legs striking down any beast that got too close. One wolf lunged at his throat, but he slammed his elbow into its snout, sending it crashing into a tree. Another boar came from his blind side, but Alexander spun and delivered a crushing kick that snapped its spine in two. Despite his overwhelming strength, the sheer number of beasts was starting to feel endless. Every time he knocked one down, two more seemed to take its place, more berserk and wilder than before. The new man in black watched from a distance, his hand continuously flicking more hidden weapons into the fray. Small blades, needles, and even poisoned darts flew toward Alexander, but he deflected or dodged most of them, though the relentless attacks were starting to pin him down. Realizing the situation was becoming more precarious, the second man took advantage of the chaos. Using the distraction of the beasts and the barrage of weapons, he dashed toward his fallen comrade, who was barely clinging to consciousness. Alexander saw the movement and knew what was coming, "You''re not escaping," he growled, charging forward through the wave of beasts. But the second man was fast, much faster than the first. In one fluid motion, he grabbed his injured comrade by the arm and pulled him up, all while expertly dodging Alexander''s strike. "Too slow," the man said, his voice was icy, as he launched another volley of needles toward Alexander''s face. This time, Alexander had no choice but to pause and defend, swatting the needles out of the air with rapid strikes. Chapter 57 - 56 Using the momentary distraction, the second man whistled sharply, and the beasts went into a frenzy. They rushed at Alexander with reckless abandon, their glowing red eyes filled with madness. Boars, wolves, snakes, and the flying creatures all charged at once, creating a wall of fur, claws, and fangs between Alexander and the retreating pair. By the time Alexander fought his way through the onslaught, the two men had already escaped into the dense forest, vanishing from sight. He could still hear the distant howls and roars of the beasts under their control, but they, too, began to fade as the men withdrew. Alexander stood amidst the carnage, surrounded by the bodies of slain beasts. His eyes narrowed in frustration, watching as the last trace of his clues disappeared into the shadows. "They got away," he muttered, clenching his fists. But he knew this wasn''t over. Whoever they were, they had made a grave mistake. The next time they crossed paths again, he would be ready, and not give them any chances. If he took out his sword, he believed that he would have won that battle, but he wasn''t confident if he really could handle it. Since he hadn''t used any sword in his whole life, this time he must at least practice how to hold a sword, rather than slashing it stupidly if he ever uses it. But if it really came to a long-lasting battle, he could win if he used ''Berserker Instinct'' to the max. But since there were a lot of innocent people here, the risk of using it to the max outweighs the benefits. The place was filled with the smell of blood, and there were no more beasts to be spotted. Suddenly, behind him just 30 steps away from his current location, were the villagers, looking at this scene. They couldn''t help but gasp in astonishment. One for all vs all for one, and he actually won. They then loudly cheered for Alexander with their eyes shining brightly. They couldn''t help but be happy that the crisis was solved by this young warrior in front of them. It was different from the rest of the warriors who had died in this place, but to respect the dead, they did not blame those warriors since they fought with their lives for their safety. Alexander hearing this loud commotion, looked back and saw the villagers cheering for him wildly. Then a little girl ran towards him, filled with a bright smile. [Berserker Instinct was Deactivated] The system reminded him as his reddened eyes turned back to normal. The death aura that surrounds him also disappeared without a trace. "Big brother Alexander, are you okay?" Anya said after arriving in front of him. Alexander just smiled from this little girl who seems to care about his well-being so much. He lowered his legs a little and pinched her cheeks. "Of course, this big brother of yours is strong. What kind of beast can I not handle?" he said with a laugh, making the atmosphere more light. Then a beautiful woman ran towards them gracefully. It was none other than Aeloria as she arrived towards Alexander. She looked at him dotingly, her eyes were soft as she looked at him, filled with concern. "Don''t worry, I''m fine. This low-level beast couldn''t injure me," Alexander said, comforting her, without letting her speak. Hearing his she inspects him for a while and, she could see that he was fully invigorated and seems like he wasn''t really suffering. She released a smile that was both gentle and beautiful as it could be. "That''s good that you''re okay now," she spoke, deep within her heart. The villagers behind also walked towards him, the man who was being assisted by another man by putting his arms towards his shoulder, looked at Alexander gratefully. "Young warrior, thank you very much for saving me at that time. If not, I would have died earlier," the man said, full of thanks in his tone. Then an old lady walked in slow steps and smiled as well, "Young warrior, thank you very much for saving this village and also for helping me earlier. My bones were too old that I cannot even fight back," the old lady sighed as she spoke towards Alexander. Alexander then was bombarded by a lot of thanks from the villagers, and suddenly, a man walked towards them, filled with black lines on his face. Seeing this, Alexander narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man. "Village Chief is back!" one of the villagers exclaimed as he looked at the man in his fifties, walking towards them. "It''s really the village chief, we''re safe now," another one uttered, seeming like the chief is the one who saved them. All of them welcomed the village chief as he walked towards Alexander, filled with a smile, as he returned the greetings towards the villagers. Finally, he arrived in front of Alexander, his face was still filled with smiles. But for Alexander, he could feel endless malice and the killing intent he released was palpable. This made him narrow his eyes and really wants to expose this man in front of him. But he couldn''t, since he had no evidence, and he didn''t see any injuries on his body at all. To help him with this case. "Young warrior, thank you for saving the village when I was out for the moment because of some trouble. I, Bernard, am really grateful for what you have done," the village chief said, feeling grateful, but the killing intent in his smiling eyes was becoming more thicked. Alexander just smiled from this and decided to wait for his actions. He wasn''t afraid and after he had found some evidence, then he could just expose this Bernard guy in front of him. He saw that the village chief extended his hands towards him for a handshake. He didn''t disappoint him and also extended his hands. As both of them shook hands, he felt that his hands were being gripped tightly, but he just sneered inwardly. "Everyone, give thanks to this young warrior that we have survived for today. For now, gather the corpses of these beasts. With a lot of them, we are not going to worry about being starving for a long time," the village chief spoke aloud, looking at the villagers, filled with smiles. The villagers heeded his words and began to gather the corpses of all the dead beasts with smiles on their faces. They were excited because all of them were starving and really wanted to eat meat. With a lot of dead beasts, they will not starve for two weeks with this. Bernard, seeing their actions, just smiled and put his hands behind him as he left the crowd of people as he was far away. His face turned ferocious and serious. His expression changed from sunny to night in just a second. Alexander was observing this village chief''s actions, wondering if he was going to do something. But he didn''t, making him narrow his eyes, "I''ll give you some time to prepare," he sneered, looking at his fading figure. "Should we go back first?" Alexander said to Aerolia, who was right beside him, looking at the villagers filled with happiness on her face. Since she knows how scarce the food is in this village, thanks to Alex, she can see hope for this village to survive this disaster. Since beast attacks aren''t only the problem, but also food scarcity. Hearing what Alexander said, she nodded her head, since they still have meat, and it was a lot in her house. So, she will not participate in this gathering for food. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yeah, let''s go back. I''ll heat the food again so it''s hot," she spoke towards Alexander. Aeloria then held Anya''s hands as they left the place. Alexander on their way back was pondering about something while they were walking. He knows that the village chief must be the one who saved the other man, he must be cautious and become wary from now on. For any surprise attacks or ambush. When they were back, Alexander sat at the table with Anya drawing something on the ground using a stick. He couldn''t help but be sad for Anya. Since she cannot play with someone the same age as her. "The food is fully heated. Anya, go wash your hands now," Aeloria instructed Anya, since the food is going to be dirty if she eats now. Anya nodded excitedly, since she wants to continue her distracted meal. She hurriedly splashed water on her palms. When she was back, Aeloria put a bowl of soup with meat in it. She then blew it for a few times and was very happy. Her face was filled with smiles, tasting the food that is in front of her. "Big sister is really the best," she mumbled while gulping the bowl of food in front of her. Aeloria couldn''t help but laugh from her silly actions. For Alexander, he just looked at the two of them with a smile on his face. "This kind of life is actually not that bad," he mumbled in a low voice that no one could hear. Aeloria then served Alexander a bowl of boar soup. He took her offer and began to enjoy this moment as well. Chapter 58 - 57 When they were done eating, Aeloria cleaned and gathered the used plates and spoons on the table. As she went to the back of the house to clean them to be used again. Alexander burped, feeling his stomach that is very much full. He then remembered something so he stood up, seeing his actions Anya who was beside him glance at his direction. "Big brother Alex, where are you going?" Anya asked, seeing that he was leaving. "Oh, just fixing some stuff," Alexander replied with a smile. "Can I go with you big brother, Anya is bored by doing nothing all day," she said with a saddened face. Seeing her expression, Alexander couldn''t help but be sad as well, being a kid with no one to play with who is the same age as her seems to really boring. He nodded his head to agree, since he was only going to gather some resources. "Yay, wait for me, big brother," she said as she stood up in her seat, filled with excitement in her eyes. "Wait, go and ask for permission from your big sister first, or she will be worried," Alexander instructed as he waited for her to go. Anya nodded as she hastily ran behind the old wooden house and saw her big sister Aeloria. She ran hurriedly, seeming like Alexander would leave her behind. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Big sister, can I go with big brother Alex to fix something?" she asked as she jumped up and down from being too excited. Seeing her so excited and the wide, bright smile on her face, she was about to agree, but still asked. "Fixing for what?" Aeloria asked with her face filled with question marks. "I don''t know, big brother Alex just said that he is going to do some fixing. I don''t know what he meant, but he agreed for me to follow him. But I still need to ask for your permission first," she spoke as she looked at Aeloria in the face. "Okay then, but be a good girl and come back early, okay?" Aeloria replied with a smile on her face. She trusted Alex since she just saw that he was not a bad person. He was even more heroic than she could have imagined for saving the village. About the dangers if Anya went with him? She can clearly see that she was in the safest place right now since Alex was the only warrior in their village. "Thank you, big sister," Anya said, jumping into her embrace, hugging her. She then pecked on her cheek with her smooth lips, kissing it. She then let go of her embrace and ran with her back facing Aeloria. She just shifted her head while waving her hands and left with a smile. Alexander was looking at the ground, kicking the small rocks below him. This is what he does sometimes when he is bored. When he heard the footsteps, and it was Anya, he waited for her to reach him. "Let''s go now big brother Alex," she said excitedly as she ran to the entrance of the forest. Alexander just smiled at her actions and followed behind her. Anya was wandering around touching some plants, flowers, and even playing with a ladybug. He made sure that Anya would not escape his vision since this is a forest after all. "Anya, make sure to not walk far away from me, ok," he shouted towards Anya, who was poking the chameleon with a stick, hitting its eyes. The chameleon brushed the stick hitting its eye socket and stood up on its two legs, making a hand gesture saying "no." She was greatly amazed by this little chameleon. "Okay, big brother Alex," she replied, while looking at the Chameleon who seems to be breakdancing. Alexander knew that he needed to put his vision towards Anya just to make sure, since sometimes kids tend to break their words in accidents. He went to the closest tree and tried touching its bark. He could feel its toughness, but it was too big. But he could cut it and this seems to be a good one to be used for fixing the house. Like the logs for the walls and for the roof, he could just shape it to fill the hole. Far away from Alexander in a cave, there was a man filled with black clothes from top to bottom sitting in a lotus position, as he puked blood from his mouth, drenching the ground. "Dang, this hurts! Kid, just you wait. I''m going to kill you!" The man bellowed, filled with resentment. Suddenly, at the entrance of the cave, a man that was familiar to Alexander appeared. If he saw this person, he would not be surprised since that person is none other than the village chief. He already knows this since their aura is relatively the same without any signs of any difference. "Don''t worry, my little brother, we will have our revenge and kill him. The blood gem is about to form after gathering the resentment souls of the villagers in a week when it''s done condensing the energy. After that, we will kill him," The village chief Bernard spoke with a malicious smile. As he released his killing intent, that was really thick and deadly, the man then took off the black cloth covering his face. Showing a terrifying face, it was cut, seemingly hit by a blade, with a burn mark on his right face. "But isn''t it surprising, brother, that there''s actually a Grandmaster that young? Maybe he''s a disciple from some major sect or some young master from big families that came here to gather experience. Since this island is far from the four continents," He spoke, looking at his big brother. The man nodded when he heard this, "You are right, since the warriors here are only at the Warrior Stage or even at the Battle Master Stage." Bernard replied, sharing his thoughts also. "Big brother, don''t you think that he must be accompanied by a master in the dark, since his talent is top-notch?" he asked, pondering about this question. Bernard just shook his head. "No, he was alone. I didn''t sense any presence of a hidden master. So, we have nothing to worry about," he replied, since during that time where he was rescuing his little brother. He was very wary, that he always watched his surroundings if there''s any abnormality. Because of this kind of personality, he survived for this long years by being a killer. "Also, brother, isn''t this also a problem, since he is at the same level as you? Do we still have to proceed with the mission?" The man asked, since the blow he had taken really injured him greatly. The force that hit him was totally different, making him wonder what kind of technique that the little brat used for cultivating since he did not sense any energy that he was very familiar with. "You''re right, but did you forget what your big brother is?" He said with a smile of pride on his face. "I''m a beast tamer, so of course my strength doesn''t rely on fighting head on, but my beast companion," he spoke, as a big beast with black scales that looks like a cobra and a serpent appeared. It was big as it circled Bernard, extending its head to be petted, which he also responded to it. The big man smacked his head, remembering this. Because of that, he puked another blood, but it was worth it for reminding himself to not be stupid. "How could I forget about your beast companion, big brother! With that, the kid will be no match, and if it absorbs the blood gem, it will become a spirit beast, raising its strength to the Ascendant stage," He spoke loudly, looking at the gigantic snake that is like a little child in his brother''s arms. "Even in the four continents, you can now be considered a big-shot, that only those first-rate sects can cause you problems. We''ll be considered invincible in this island, since no major powerhouse is inhabiting this place," He said with excitement, unable to wait for this to happen. "Yes, that''s right. After the blood gem has gathered the necessary energy, it will be the time for our time to shine. Then, I will give you that kid named Alex to know that we are not the kind of person to be offended," He spoke with enthusiasm. His little brother nodded his head, unable to wait for this to happen. Bernard then instructed the snake to rest in its place. The snake heeded his word as it loses its grip towards him and went to the deep of the cave. "Stay here for a while and recuperate your injuries. I will try to attract more beasts tomorrow by turning on the blood gem with the formation. We will just let the kid do our job by killing the beast to fill up the blood gem," He said as he looked back filled with smiles. The man just nodded his head as he continued his meditation to heal his injuries that were caused by Alex. About Alex well, he was still looking for a good tree to be cut, since the quality he needed must be high to make sure that it can last for a long time, even with heavy rains and storms. Chapter 59 - 58 While Alexander was wandering in the forest, he checked trees by trees to find if there were any appropriate ones to be used. As he wandered around, and Anya was playing not far away from his current location. "I think this tree would be a good one," Alexander mumbled, feeling its bark. It was a big tree, and he could feel its toughness by just the touch. Alexander took a step back and was about to release a palm strike but stopped! If he did that, wouldn''t he be very stupid for ruining it? He needed to cut it without any damage. Suddenly, he remembered his sword. As he opened his system inventory and saw the sword, he then took it out of the system inventory. As it appeared, the blade thrummed with a malevolent killing energy, with its fiery edge crackling with anticipation. The intense heat radiating from the sword was not burning, but so invigorating, like a forge''s heat. The aura around the blade was oppressive and intoxicating, a palpable sense of dread mixed with a thrilling rush of power. As he held the sword in his hand, he couldn''t help but be amazed at how compatible this weapon was to him. It seemed to be the only weapon that could really complement his suddenly twisted personality. "Now then, it''s chopping time," Alexander hummed as he lowered himself with the blade up diagonally. He gripped the handle, and the blade seemed to be responding with excitement, finally he was being used. *Shing A sound made out of the sword as it struck the tree horizontally. It was like a piece of sheet of paper when the blade went in without any sign of any resistance. With that, the malevolent tree fell. As it collided with the ground, the earth trembled on its feet. Alexander then walked towards it with his cool sword and was about to cut the branches into the shape of a log. Suddenly, his blade shook, trembling in his hand. He stopped and put it in front of him, and looked at it with narrowed eyes. He could feel its huge dissatisfaction towards him as it trembled, wanting to say something. But Alexander did not mind it and continued his plan which is clearing the branches on the tree. Even though it was shaking and trembling, he does not know what the sword''s problem was. "Is this thing broken? It''s impossible for a heaven-grade sword to be broken, right?" he mumbled, as small footsteps sounded behind him. It was Anya, looking at the big red sword on his hand. Her eyes were forming stars as she looked at the sword that was radiating with red light and its molten lava designs. The chameleon was on top of her head, as it slept on it, they seemed to have become best friends. "Anya, do you want to go back now? We''ve been here for an hour now," Alexander asked if this little child wanted to go elsewhere. Anya nodded her head and responded, "Yes big brother Alex, Anya just made a new friend, look, this creature is very strange and can change color. His name is Pascal," she said excitedly, introducing her new friend towards Alexander. She slowly took the green chameleon on her head, as it showed it towards Alexander. He glanced at the creature Anya was talking about and was surprised. "Some of the animals here were actually had the same facial features on my world," he muttered inwardly. "Anya, if you''re wondering this is an animal, it''s called a Chameleon. It can change color into anything it likes. I''m so happy that you can actually find one in the wild," Alexander said while petting Anya''s head. "Cha-Me-Leon," she muttered slowly, while looking at the creature in her palm. The Chameleon was still sleep with its eyes were still closed. It did not even bother about waking up, even though it was being held like a dog. After Anya finally processed the entire information, she was amazed, of course. "Really, big brother Alex, Pascal can change to any color it wants?" Anya said with awe. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Alexander nodded in a smile, since this is what he heard about it. But for the reason it changes color? He had no idea. "Yes, but it only depends on the little guy," he replied, as he took back his hand that was patting the little girl''s head. Anya nodded in understanding as she leaned her head sideways, "Are we going back now, big brother?" she asked. "Yes, but let me chop this into small pieces first," he muttered, and when he was about to do that, wouldn''t it be going to be smaller? "Wait, is this also possible to be stored even though it''s big?" he asked himself, in a scrutinizing gaze. As he opened the system inventory and clicked the store button, it was absorbed into the black hole. "Ohh, it actually works," Alexander said in surprise. They then trailed their way back to their home. As Alexander arrived, he saw that Aeloria was not here. He concluded that she must have gone to the village, so he went into the back of the house, opening the system storage and unstoring the log that was stored in it. Alexander then tried to shape the logs to fit the hole, and yes it works. Now the only thing he needed to do was to attach it. He put down the shaped wood for the wall and walked to the side where there were some small bones that had a tip point. With that, he took this and went back to the hole part of the house, covering it by the squared shaped wood. He then used the tough bones, that were even much tougher than the nails that were made of metal. He used his hand as a hammer, but instead of striking it down like a hammer, he just exerted some force into it, piecing it to the wall. He did this to both sides, from top to bottom. When he was done, he nodded in satisfaction. He also went to the roof and covered it as well. He also shaped the wood by using the Infernal Fury. The sword in his palm seemed to be very angry as it released its aura in protest, but Alexander does not know what this sword was talking about, so he did not bother its resistance. After that, he then covered the roof by putting some nails made of bones. When all is done, he jumped down and nodded in satisfaction. "With this, during summer and raining season, they are not going to worry about this problem anymore." He then heard some footsteps on his back, and it was none other than Aeloria. She could see that her old wooden house was changed. She could see that the hole in the roof and the wall were fixed. Even the part where the worn-out part were also changed, making her freeze. "Alex, did you do this?" Aeloria asked as she stood beside him. "Of course, who else would it be if not me?" Alexander said with a smile. With all of a sudden, he felt two soft marshmallows in his chest, making his breath heavy. But other than that, he didn''t feel anything more. He knew that this was the effect of his skill ''Heart of Stone'' making him cursed. He felt like he was turning gay, that even a woman as beautiful as Aeloria hugged him. He could feel nothing other than surprised, he could only sigh from this. Aeloria then looked upwards with their faces so close to each other, Alexander was frozen in place as he looked at this. "Damn, it''s so close," he muttered inwardly as he looked at her pink cherry lips. He was stunned for a moment, and his arms slowly went upwards on their own, hugging her hourglass waist. Because of the fabric of the clothes that was very thin, it felt like there was no barrier at all. Aeloria felt electrified from the touch, as her face grew red with embarrassment. "Big sister, Big brother, what are you doing?" Anya spoke while looking at them so close to each other. Hearing Anya''s voice, Aeloria panicked and hurriedly let go while caressing her left arm, looking down. Her face was so red that it even reached her neck. "I- a- we..." she stuttered, not knowing what to say. Alexander just made a cough to clear the awkward atmosphere in the air. "Actually, Anya we were just a, we just missed each other, so you don''t need to ask anymore, okay," he said, not knowing how to explain at all. "Uh-huh," Anya nodded as she walked towards Aeloria to be hugged by her big sister. But for the chameleon on Anya''s head, his brows were furrowed, as a knowing gaze glinting in his eyes. When she slowly forgot about what happened earlier, she went back to her old self. "Ohh, don''t tell me you missed your sister after playing earlier. Let''s go inside the house and watch what your big brother Alexander fixed," she muttered, very embarrassed to see him in the face. For Alexander, he couldn''t help but feel but look at his two hands that touched her waist. He couldn''t help but feel good from touching it. When her breast touched his chest, the feeling was really good. He couldn''t help but imagine if Anya wasn''t there, they would have taken it to-, he then shook his head as he stopped thinking since having these weird thoughts wasn''t good for his health. Chapter 60 - 59 When he was left alone, Alexander decided to keep a lookout in the village. He then disappeared in the spot. He was then back in the forest, observing the surroundings. "What kind of magic or artifacts that the Village chief seems to be controlling the beast?" Alexander mumbled, filled with question marks. He really had no idea what it was. After circling the place and not finding any clues at all, he decided to stay up here for a while. But after waiting for a whole day, he found nothing. With that, before night strikes, he goes for hunting food. This time, he captured at least one boar in the outskirts of the forest. He also tried to store the dead boar in the system storage, and yes it worked. As he went back, he saw that Aeloria was standing at the door looking at the horizons. Seeing this, Alexander pursed his lips wanting to scare her. Aeloria, not knowing what was going to happen, was staring blankly at the sky. Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared in front of her. She was shocked at the same time she was very scared. "Ahh!" she exclaimed, as she took a step back and slipped. Alexander, seeing this, hurriedly held her in the waist to stop her from falling. The feeling of holding her waist made him heart thump again. "I''m so sorry about that," Alexander said, truly regretting what he did. Aeloria was about to struggle from the unknown person who just appeared out of thin air, but when she heard the voice, she stopped and looked at his face. Her racing heart calmed down as the two were looking at each other. Alexander was staring at her blankly again. He slowly pulled her waist closer to him, while Aeloria did not struggle from his movements. His consciousness returned suddenly, seeing that what he was doing was really inappropriate. "Sorry about that, I shouldn''t have done that," he muttered in a low voice, as he diverted his gaze. He slowly lifted her up and put her down gently, like a delicate flower, afraid to hurt her. Aeloria''s face was so red, feeling his soft and gentle touch. She didn''t know why her heart was racing like a wave by being touched. "It''s okay, Alex, but please don''t do that again. You freaked me out just now," she replied, while narrowing her eyes, lecturing him. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But to Alexander, her actions and the way her eyes narrowed, while pursing her lips, were very cute to look at. Seeing his smile all of a sudden, her cheeks reddened suddenly, as she touched her face that was hot as pepper. "Big sister, is food ready yet? Anya is hungry," the little girl, Anya muttered while yawning, her eyes were still sleepy, clearly she just woke up. Seeing that Anya was awake, Aeloria''s embarrassed face disappeared as she looked at her dotingly. "Okay Anya, this big sister is going to cook for you, okay," she said while patting her head. Alexander then took out the boar, appearing beside him, that was already dead. "Oh yeah, here is the lunch for tonight," he said while unstoring it in his system inventory. Seeing another piece of beast in front of her, Aeloria was very speechless. She felt like that poverty and starvation were not a problem anymore if she was with Alex. "That''s so big, Alex. You do know that we still have a lot of meat here from what you have captured yesterday. We are going to be fat thanks to you," Aeloria said with a sigh, but also thankful since their life seemed to become much easier. "Don''t worry, if you turned fat, you would still look beautiful," Alexander muttered, raising his palm, touching her cheeks. Aeloria was surprised from the sudden touch. She was frozen for a moment, as her whole body felt like it was electrified, even though there was no electricity. Her face turned red as a tomato, but she did not stop him. Alexander finally noticed what he had done, and was stunned. This hand of his seemed to be possessed, doing whatever it wanted. "Sorry about that, I will be staying over there while you cook," Alexander muttered, taking his hands back as he ran to escape. Seeing his actions and the shy expression on his face, she couldn''t help but release a giggle. She did not hate it, but she seemed to like being touched by Alex, the man she just met yesterday, not knowing why. "Anya, I want you to go with your big brother Alex while I prepare for dinner, okay," Aeloria said to the little girl Anya, who was still sleepy. Anya just hummed in reply as she walked outside the house and went towards Alexander, while Aeloria began to prepare for dinner. Alexander also lit up a fire, so it wasn''t darker. He was currently sitting in the chair, his two arms were placed on the table as his elbows were placed on it and his arms were crossed, putting his jaw while thinking deeply. "I have to control myself more often, these devil hands of mine are literally turning me evil," Alexander stated inwardly as his eyes were staring blankly at the trees with a serious expression. "Big brother Alex, can Anya sleep in your lap?", she said with her arms up. She was even still sleepy after sleeping for who knows how long. Alexander smiled from this cute little girl, he could never say no since he really like her. Just for some short info. His not a pedophile, but the author is, but that''s not the point or you could say that''s besides the point :D He then placed her on his lap while she began to sleep again, hugging him as her face was in her chest, having a good sleep with a smile blooming on her face. Alexander''s heart was melting seeing her actions, and he could not help but sigh. If he left this place, he had no idea if he could ever get back to this place and meet Aeloria and little Anya. Imagining this made him sad, but as long as he was here, he must enjoy this moment than ever. After a half an hour, finally the food is ready. Alexander slowly woke up Anya who was sleeping soundly on him. Waking up, Alexander helped with the arrangement of the table as they began to eat. As their stomachs were filled, Alexander rested for a bit. He then bid his farewell towards Aeloria, saying that he would scout for any abnormality that was going to happen in the village. Seeing his actions, she thought that he must still be embarrassed about what had happened earlier. The forest this time was dark as he circled the village again, if he could find those black people, I''m not talking about their skin color but their black clothes like a ninja. So its not racist. He circled the place but stopped after an hour, not finding something weird. He decided to stop and sat in the tree branches. Suddenly, he caught something in his pupil, in the center of the village, he saw one person walking in the middle of the night. Even though it was 500 meters away from him. His vision was sharp, like that of an eagle even seeing its face. He hid his presence above as he observed him. He could see that the village chief just stood there and then mumbled something in the air, which he could not hear. Bernard then observed his surroundings as he left the place, which made him narrow his eyes. Suddenly he felt something weird. He didn''t know, but the air seemed to have changed, making him wonder what he had done. When he saw that he left, he went down the tree as he stood at the center of the village where there was the big rock in placed. He circled the place but found nothing. He could really feel the sudden change of atmosphere just a seconds ago, but now it was gone. "Is it just my imagination? Or is there really some secret here?" Alexander muttered in a low breath while his brows furrowed, full of questions in his mind. He decided to leave this place, since he really had no idea. He could just come back tomorrow night and capture the village chief and question him, since what he was doing right now could already cause some questions for the villagers. As he left the place, he went back, then looked at the window and saw that the two were already asleep. Seeing they were fine, he leaped up to the tree, but did not sleep since cultivating felt much better than sleeping. Not only could his mind become so calm, just like still water, but he would also feel full of vitality and energetic tomorrow. Which is literally better than sleeping. Sitting in the lotus position, he began to cultivate. He then began to draw the energy in the surrounding area, not even thinking about absorbing the bluish energy. As he activated the [Vital Draw Technique], he closed his eyes. In the outskirts of the village, every beast and flying creatures were groaning and convulsing, not knowing why it was happening. They groaned as they rolled on the ground. Suddenly their eyes turned red as they stood still. When morning strikes and only half of the sun was up, the beasts then began to move. Chapter 61 - 60 Alexander, who was up in the tree, felt something wrong. His ears perked up a little, hearing a lot of heavy footsteps. His eyes narrowed as he directed his way in full speed. "What the heck is happening?" he muttered, seeing that hundreds of beasts were marching towards the village. He circled the forest and saw that it was in every direction. He hurriedly went back to wake up Aeloria and Anya to take cover in the village, so he could protect all of the people at once. Since he was only one person and dealing with hundreds of beasts, he did not know if he could handle it alone. "Should I really have to use my sword this time?" Alexander thought as he hopped from trees to trees, leaving some shadowy figures. "It''s not the time yet," Alexander muttered. If he showed his cards now, the village chief would become more wary. "Let''s just wait for a while. If the situation is really crucial then using it will be a good choice," he thought as he agreed with his idea. Arriving at the wooden house, he opened the door. Hearing the sudden opening of the door, Aeloria woke up and saw Alexander. She was stunned and was about to ask what was wrong with the sudden intrusion. "Aeloria, go to the village to take cover now. The beasts will be here in just a minute," Alexander spoke, as he carried Anya on the bed towards him. Because of this action, Anya''s eyes fluttered slowly. Aeloria, hearing this, was stunned. Her still sleepy eyes were now wide awake as she hurriedly stood up. "Let me carry Anya, so you can do your duties," Aeloria said as she opened her arms. Alexander nodded as she let Aeloria run off first while he followed her from behind. He could hear that they were getting closer, making his eyes narrow. "Big sis, where are we going?" Anya spoke in a sleepy voice. "Anya, just sleep for now, okay? There are some problems going to happen again, okay honey." Aeloria spoke to Anya while she still kept running, carrying her. Anya just hummed and her eyes were wide awake now. She knew that something bad must have happened, so she listened and looked at the surroundings. Suddenly, a silver wolf pounced to the air towards her and Aeloria. Alexander burst in speed that he quickly appeared besides the beast, hitting its right side, as it flew like a broken kite, snapping its ribs. He did not hold back from that, so he killed it with just one swing. Aeloria did not panic since she felt so secure if Alex was besides her, so she continued to run, giving all her trust towards Alexander. For Alex, every beast that came to stop and hinder their way, he just blasted them away. As they arrived, Alexander instructed Aeloria, "Go and alert the villagers, I will do my best to hold them off," Alexander muttered with a serious face. Aeloria nodded her head, "Be careful, Alex," she muttered as she ran and began to shout to alert the villagers. "Beast attack. Everyone, the beasts are attacking," she shouted loudly. Her shouts were heard in every house. The villagers, who just woke up, heard her voice, hurriedly stood up and alerted the rest of the villagers. All of them began to slowly gather in the center of the village. As Alexander stood at the village''s edge, he could feel the ground vibrate with the thunderous stampede of beasts coming from all directions. The sounds of their snarls and growls, rustling was intensifying. His senses were sharpened as the radiance of the sunrise scattered in the place. The air was filled with the stench of blood and primal rage. In front of him, the forest''s shadowy treeline stirred as some glowing red eyes appeared, one after another. Their eyes were like those of predators. Since they are really predators. The wave of beasts then burst forth from the trees, it is a mix of silver wolves, massive boars, and serpent-like creatures slithering at incredible speed. *Screeech Looking up, he could also see those flying creatures were back again. His eyes were cold looking at this. They then charged towards his direction, fueled by endless resentment. Their eyes glowing with the same unnatural red hue that Alexander had seen before. Alexander didn''t wait for this to get close. So he dashed forward, meeting the first silver wolf in mid-leap. With one fluid strike, he drove his fist into its side, his punch was like a hammer blow that shattered the wolf''s ribs. The beast let out a sharp yelp before being flung through the air, its body spinning uncontrollably before it hit the ground, lifelessly. But there was no time to pause. [You killed a level 7 silver wolf. You''ve gained 6 exp] Another wolf came at him from his left. Alexander ducked under its snapping jaws, grabbed it by the throat, and slammed it into the ground with enough force to crack the earth beneath them. Without any hesitation, he crushed its windpipe, ending its life in an instant. He stood back up just in time to see a large boar charging toward him, its tusks glinting dangerously in the towards him. Alexander just sidestepped casually from the charging boar and delivered a punishing elbow to its side, the impact so powerful it caused the beast''s legs to buckle. But the boar wasn''t down yet¡ªit turned with surprising speed, aiming its tusks at Alexander''s midsection. Seeing this Alexander smiled coldly and increased the forces making a cracking sound on its leg nailing it to the ground, as spider web cracks were created. The beast''s head snapped downward with a bone-crunching sound as its body slumped to the ground. [You killed a level 9 Boar. You''ve gained 11 exp] Still, the assault didn''t let up. More beasts were pouring from the forest, a seemingly endless wave. Then a pair of massive serpents coiled around the base of a tree, their bodies were thick in other words big, moving in a zig-zag motion as they hissed. They darted toward Alexander with fangs bared, aiming for his legs. He jumped slightly from this, avoiding the first strike, he then grabbed the second serpent by its neck mid-air. With a sharp twist, he snapped its body like a whip, slamming it into the other serpent with a brutal force that left both writhing in pain. The serpents hissed in agony, but before they could recover, Alexander stomped down hard, crushing the head of one under his boot, while delivering a swift punch that crushed the skull of the other. [You killed a level 8 Forest Serpent. You''ve gained 8 exp] [You killed a level 7 Forest Serpent. You''ve gained 6 exp] Even as he dealt with the serpents, more wolves were closing in, surrounding him in a deadly circle. They pounced in unison, while their bodies flying at him from every direction with their claws outstretched, as their jaws snapping in the air. Alexander leaped into the air yet again, spinning his body in a full circle. His legs extended in a wide, sweeping kick that created a small whirlwind around him. The wolves that had lunged at him were caught in the spinning vortex of his legs, as their bodies flew away like ragdolls. The power behind the kick sent some crashing into trees, while others hit the ground hard, their bodies were broken and unmoving. [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] [You killed a level 6 silver wolf. You''ve gained 4 exp] [You killed a level 5 silver wolf. You''ve gained 3 exp] ... "This is going to be endless," he said with red eyes. [Berserker Instinct activated] The system prompted, as his aura turned red from the killing intent surging out in him. As he landed, Alexander''s eyes scanned the battlefield. The forest seemed alive with the movement of more beasts that were coming. Boars, wolves, and now larger creatures with horns and thick hides that resembled mutated bulls were emerging from the woods. The flying creatures circled above, waiting for their moment to strike. The situation was growing more dire, but Alexander stood his ground, a lone warrior against a wave of enemies. Just as he finished fending off another boar with a powerful knee strike, three more wolves leaped from the shadows, trying to catch him off guard. Alexander dropped to the ground, his hands bracing on the earth as he kicked out with both legs in a wide, sweeping motion. His spinning kick connected with all three wolves at once, their bodies sent flying like debris in a storm. But the numbers kept growing. The beasts were now attacking from every side, pushing Alexander to his limits. He was a moving so fast he is leaving a blur of images, dodging, striking, and countering every attack with a lethal strike that left his enemies broken even worse dead. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 10%.] The ground around him was littered with the corpses of beasts, but more kept coming. His body surged with energy as his fists connected with the hide of a massive bull-like creature, sending it crashing backward into a cluster of wolves. His eyes were crimson, as he charged at them like a hunter. With a punch, the air was distorted as it hit the big bear in the chest. It caved in and flew like it was hit by a missile, hitting the rest of the beasts behind it. Alexander then stood his ground as more than 20 beasts attacked him from all sides, even in the air. With a stance, he released a barrage of punches. That hit every beast, with just one hit, some were unconscious while some died from the impact. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 20%.] Chapter 62 - 61 Since he was on the front lines, the beasts he was vanquishing were only the ones in front of him. The increased stats caused by his skill were overwhelming. The power released from his blow hit the bear, but this time, it didn''t cave in. The blow hitting its chest felt like it had been hit by a sniper, but with a larger bullet. Half of its body was blown to pieces from the impact. The werebear died as it fell back. [You killed a level 11 Werebear. You''ve gained 9 exp] Alexander''s smile glinted maliciously, his bloodlust surging. He laughed with every disappearance and reappearance, striking down a beast every second. Different races of creatures fell before him, each death fueling his bloodlust. [You killed a level 13 a silver wolf. You''ve gained 11 exp] [You killed a level 7 a Forest Serpent. You''ve gained 6 exp] [You killed a level 10 a Skyhawk. You''ve gained 8 exp] [You killed a level 7 a Boar. You''ve gained 6 exp] [You killed a level 9 a silver wolf. You''ve gained 8 exp] ... A bunch of notifications echoed with every movement, a clear soundtrack to his rampage. He was like the reaper, taking souls, but in reverse, a bringer of death instead of a collector. His eyes turned crimson in that is even redder than blood, his clothes was full of bloodstains. [You Just Leveled Up] The system''s notification sounded again he ignored this, lost in the whirlwind of his fury. While he held the front line, the villagers, huddled in the center, were defenseless. Seizing their chance, the beasts surged forward. A silver wolf''s snapping jaws caught a villager who was running towards the gathering crowd. "Ahhh! Help!" he cried, his leg was being ripped off. Blood splattered across the ground. His face was pale as sheet of paper, but no villagers came to help, because they were paralyzed by fear. The man who had already accepted his fate, closed his eyes, overwhelmed by pain. Suddenly, a footstep sounded, followed by a woman''s shout. The woman smashed the head of the silver wolf, who was munching on the man''s leg, with a wooden table. Her strength was weak, making the beast only backed off, growling angrily towards her. It gazed at her with its crimson blood eyes, filled with killing intent. It then pounced towards her, but was stopped in mid-air. The silver wolf looked behind, seeing that his leg was being held by the man he had just injured. "Aeloria, thank you very much for your help. But I don''t want you to risk your life, for this useless life of mine," the man gritted his teeth, his voice filled with a strong will. Even though he was lying on the ground, he pulled the wolf towards him, hammering its head with a with his fist which is literally weak since he was injured. *Bonk "Aeloria, what are you dozing off for? Run!" the man shouted, holding the beast in its two legs. The silver wolf was stunned, seeing that a human dared to hit him with his weak hands. It was a disgrace to him, a silver wolf. They were a race of high pride, even though he was hypnotized the anger in his heart were burning with fury. The wolf snarled, baring its teeth towards the man. It growled and looked back, biting the man in the neck. The man just looked at Aeloria with a smile on his face as he puked a lot of blood. "Uncle Barry," she shouted, slumping back to the ground, kneeling. Tears streamed down in her face as she watched the wolf devour the man. The man wasn''t just anyone, he was more special since he was the one who always came to her house to warn her about the beast attacks, and also. He had always been kind to her, treating her like a little sister, "Uncle Barry, why are you so good to me? We''re not even family. I''m curious¡ªdo you like me?" Aerolia asked. She was only around 13 or 14 at this time, as she was getting a flashback. The young man, who looked about 18, laughed and almost choked. "Aeloria, what are you thinking? I''m not interested in kids! Besides, you just remind me of someone I love a family of mine, you could say," he replied, his smile tinged with sadness. Her eyes widened as she stepped closer besides him and looked up at him, "Really, Uncle? Who was that person who looks like me?" she asked, her voice was flat. Barry felt emotional all of a sudden as his eyes steeled red, "Actually its my little sister, she was just like you a happy person, kind, and very helpful. Just by seeing her everyday I felt that the tiredness and hardship of life was nothing. But-" he stopped with his eyes turned watery looking at the horizons. Aerolia was confused why he suddenly stopped, "But what uncle?" she asked full of question. "She died when I was away hunting for food," Barry said, his voice trembling. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "A small beast attacked, and she was alone at that time. I can''t stop imagining her calling for me, but I wasn''t there, Aerolia. Her big brother wasn''t there when she needed me the most." He could no longer hold back his emotions, and they poured out. "I can''t help but think of the pain she went through. Her organs were eaten, her left arm was gone, and she only had one leg left. The living room was in ruins, her blood was everywhere when I came back. Her eyes stared lifelessly at the ceiling. As her brother, how do I deserve to live after seeing her die like that, right in front of me?" he said, his voice breaking. "At that time, I''ve been thinking of suicide ever since I lost the will to live. So, I tried to find the beast who killed her and avenge her spirit, but I didn''t find it. I was about to kill myself after a few weeks she died, but then I saw you," he said with a smile, his heart slowly healing. "You''re just like her. You were like the same person, your personality, it''s really the same as hers. Because of you, I get to live this long. So, Aeloria, can you become my little sister?" Barry said with a smile, looking at her. Seeing his saddened face and the way he cried made her sad for a moment, but hearing that she was the reason for him to live made her happy. "I would be happy to, big brother Barry," Aeloria replied, with her two dimples on her cheeks popping up. Barry smiled and replied, "Just call me Uncle Barry from now on, since I''ve already gotten the hang of it. Ahahaha," he laughed at the end. This time, the tears that slid down his face were not sadness but pure joy. And now looking at the person who she was referring to as a brother, being ravaged by the beast made her frozen not accepting it. Barry, who was being eaten alive in his consciousness, he felt his heart, which had been in turmoil for a long time, calm down. "This time I will try to protect you, since I couldn''t protect my very own sister," he mumbled as his spirit disappeared. His spirit was supposed to go through the process of reincarnation, but he felt a strong suction force pulling him towards something. He couldn''t resist as he was pulled strongly to the center of the village. The rock, embedded with a red gem, was glowing strongly in response to his spirit. His soul was then absorbed by that jewel, being condensed into something. Not only him but also the dead beast spirits were getting absorbed. When he was condensed into energy, the pain he felt was 100 times more painful than being eaten alive. But he didn''t care, as his heart finally in peace, knowing that no one was going to die because of him, especially his little sister. If you want to know why, he took a deep glance at the spot where Aeloria was limping on the ground, shedding tears, as the wolf was done with its meal. It also wanted to ravage Aeloria. "Big sister, noo!" Anya shouted, tears pouring down her face, as she was being held by the villagers to keep her from getting involved. When the silver wolf was just an inch away from her face, filled with tears, she wasn''t afraid. The pain of losing someone was much more painful than being eaten alive by this beast. Suddenly, a gust of wind appeared in front of her as a strong hand held the beast that was in mid-air by its neck, stopping it. The man''s gaze was blood crimson, as he looked at it filled with killing intent burning in his eyes. He threw the beast up as he punched its abdomen, making it fly high like a butterfly, being shot into the sky. The beast growled in pain as it flew more than 50 meters in the sky before it could land toward Alexander''s face. He whipped a kick, making it hit the tree. Breaking its bones in the process of those two strikes, Alexander hurriedly helped Aeloria stand up, where she hugged him in return. Barry, seeing this, just smiled peacefully as his soul was fully condensed into energy. "I hope you take care of her Alex," Barry said his final words, as he disappeared. "Alex, *sob my big brother was dead. It''s all because of me. It''s all my fault," she grimaced, her face pressed against his broad chest. She was too weak to help, she blamed her self from being too weak. Alexander just hugged her around the waist, patting her head to comfort her. His mind didn''t wander towards anything perverted, as his face was very serious this time. "Aeloria, it''s not your fault. Don''t ever blame yourself. I saw what happened. Can''t you see that he was very happy when he saved you just now? So, snap out of it. You go ahead and protect Anya. Look, she''s crying needing you the most right now," Alexander exclaimed, mentioning Anya. She looked behind and saw that Anya was shedding tears looking at her. But was being stopped by the villagers, "Anya now needs you the most, so go ahead and be there with her. For your big brother! Don''t worry let me handle this, I''m very sorry for coming late" Alexander said as their face was just inches apart. He extended both of his hands to her cheeks, brushing them with his finger to wipe away her tears. Aeloria then started to feel better as she put her face in his broad chest and mumbled in a low voice. "Be careful," she said, escaping from his embrace, running towards Anya, hugging her to stop her cries. Seeing her shedding tears, the resentment in his heart turned colder, it was like a flamethrower that cannot be extinguished at all. Suddenly, a red glowing sword appeared in his hands. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 50%.] With the sword in his hands, the aura surrounding him was like death itself. The endless killing intent that surrounded him was like sharp blades. The beasts, who were hypnotized, slowed down as an enormous pressure seemed to be pushing them down. [Bloodlust was activated] [All stats except for charm and intelligence increased by 60%] Chapter 63 - 62 Holding his sword tightly, Alexander slowly turned his head, his gaze was sharper than any blade at this moment, it was burning with a crimson glow that radiated like a deadly flame. The sheer killing intent emanating from him swept across the battlefield like a violent storm, crashing into everything in its path. Even the villagers watching from a distance weren''t spared either, their bodies were trembling under the might of his pressure. They gasped for air, feeling as though they were being crushed by a boulder, despite knowing the wrath wasn''t directed at them. In their eyes, Alexander appeared more like a vengeful god than a young man. He was unaware of the devastation his raw killing intent could inflict on the weak. His mind was singularly focused on the beast before him, a towering werebear with muscles like steel and claws that could rend boulders. Its monstrous roar shook the air, but Alexander''s cold expression remained unmoved. "Prepare to die," Alexander growled, his voice laced with a chilling tone. His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum, his blood boiling with the thrill of pure rage. Despite the wild torrent of emotions surging through him, he was amazed at his ability to remain clear-headed. Even if both of his skill [Berserker Instinct] and [Bloodlust] were activated, yet his thoughts remained so clear. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without warning, he spun his sword in a blur the sword glinted in red light, and in the next breath, he vanished. His speed now was beyond anything he had known before, it had already surpassed his previous limits. What once felt like the swiftness of a cheetah hunting its prey was now something much deadlier, he was like a predator amongst slumbering prey. The beasts scattered across the battlefield stood no chance. A bunch of notification bombarded him, but he decided to mute this since it was very annoying. Each time Alexander reappeared, his blade was drenched in blood, every time he left those pools of blood was the markings of his every strike. The beasts were affected this time as they were greatly slowed when they reached the area which his aura was covering. One by one, they fell, dismembered, and slain they were like insects in the face of a powerful beast. Then a massive wolf lunged at him from the side, its fangs bared, but Alexander sidestepped effortlessly, his sword flashing as he cut through its body like a knife through paper. Blood sprayed in a wide arc as the beast crumpled to the ground in pieces. Without stopping, Alexander leaped forward, his eyes locking onto his next target. A boar charging at him with tusks as thick as tree trunks. He didn''t flinch. With a swift flick of his wrist, his blade sliced clean through its skull, halting its advance in an instant. The beast toppled, its eyes already dull as its lifeblood pooled beneath it. The sword in his hand trembled, seemingly excited. It was thrilled to be used to slay its enemies and being bathed in the blood of the beasts. The sword glowed even redder as it absorbed the blood, and Alexander felt his power growing stronger with each kill. He knew this was the unique passive of the sword Infernal Fury, the blade was being fueled by blood. The werebear, watching the slaughter unfold, roared in rage and charged, its massive claw aimed at Alexander''s back. But Alexander was faster. In just a blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of the beast, his eyes glowing with a dangerous light. The werebear''s claw descended with terrifying force, but it met only air. Alexander had vanished again, his sword was a blur image as it cut clean through the Werebear''s arm. *pluck As it dropped in the ground, the beast howled in agony, its severed limb hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Blood gushed from the wound like a river, but the werebear had no time to react no more. Alexander then reappeared behind it, and in a single fluid motion, his blade sliced through the beast''s back. The werebear''s enormous body convulsed as it was hacked into pieces in just a second, its flesh and bones scattered across the blood-soaked battlefield. Alexander stood amidst the carnage, his sword dripping with the blood of his enemies. The air was thick with the scent of blood and death, yet his expression remained cold and detached. The villagers were all swallowing their breaths, looking at this with pale faces. It was so gruesome, a scene of pure mass destruction, whenever they saw the young man appear. It was as if every beast who met him met their end without struggling at all. His sword Infernal Fury was constantly absorbing the blood in its possession, strengthening Alexander by 40%, which is a huge boost. Above the tree, far from both the villagers and Alexander, two men in black suits looked at this with shocked faces. The power the young man they had fought yesterday was actually holding back his power. "This, this! Big brother, this kid''s level is actually above Grandmaster. He must have already reached the Ascendant Stage. I think we''re no match for him," the man in black suit spoke, truly terrified by what he was seeing. The man who was Bernard looked at this with a frown on his face. He then shook his head and sneered. "Don''t underestimate our strength, little brother. If a man and a beast fight while they''re at the same realm, the beast always wins. Since a human is still a human. While a beast is a beast." He muttered, his breath was heavy with confidence. "Don''t worry about it, since he''ll be at our feet sooner or later. Even though he''s strong, he''ll be no match for us," he finished. The other man in the black suit nodded, agreeing with his brother''s words. "We''ll just let the kid do the work. Since he''s doing us the favor in powering up the blood gem for our own use. Hahaha!" he laughed maniacally. The little brother also laughed, as his brother was very cunning in letting someone else do the job for him. Alexander, who didn''t know he was being used like a puppet, didn''t even care. Since he was here to avenge Aeloria''s big brother, this was also good for him since his level would rise from this. As the beasts circled the area, one of them slipped towards the gathering villagers. He just sneered and threw his sword, whistling through the air, hitting the boar on the forehead, instantly killing it. He then tapped the ground with his foot, disappearing in a blur and reappearing where his sword was. He then went in circles, ensuring no villagers were hurt by the beasts that were appearing around them. He didn''t stop as more waves of beasts came towards him. A Skyhawk even tried to snatch his head but was cut in two pieces. He then threw a barrage of sword strikes at every beast that came, their numbers were steadily decreasing. Even if the flying creatures tried to attack the villagers, they couldn''t since he could just pick up a pebble and hit their fragile heads, instantly killing them. Finally, the wave ended. As Alexander stood like a butcher in a pile of dead beasts, the air pungent with the smell of blood, which was incredibly foul. Their body parts were scattered everywhere. Alexander''s mind was slowly being corrupted. Since he had been using his skill for almost 30 minutes, and the side effects of [Bloodlust] and [Berserker Instinct] were taking a toll on him. He felt the urge to surrender to his berserker self, and let his mind slumber so it can do what ever it wants. If it wasn''t for his skill, ''Heart of Stone'', he wasn''t sure if he could have stayed in that form for even 20 minutes. But thanks to it, he could control it for about 30 minutes or more, before the effects intensified. He sighed in relief, realizing how useful this skill if its in a tight position. [Bloodlust was deactivated] [Berserker Instinct was deactivated] The system prompted as his eyes returned to normal. He also stored his sword, Infernal Fury, in his system storage. The heavy killing aura that surrounded him disappeared like thin air being blown out. He closed his eyes and took a deep breathed as he opened them yet again, he finally come back to his original self. "System show me my status" Alexander said inwardly. [Status Experience: 62/21,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 30 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 20 Strength: 71 Speed: 68 Agility: 67 Dexterity: 52 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 72 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Looking at his stats, he was surprised. His level had actually risen by 3 levels! He was about to close the system panel when another panel appeared. [Congratulations to the Host for reaching level 20. New function of the system is unlocked. The rewards will be shown after the Host completes the mission.] The system stated, making him stunned. He wondered what the new function was since he had unlocked so many things already. "Is it another money generator? I really hope it is. Since more generators mean more money," he spoke inwardly, wishing for it to be something like that. Chapter 64 - 63 Alexander then closed the panel and looked behind him, his expression returning to a calm one. He slowly walked to a corpse, carrying it from the ground. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Its neck was bitten, where the lungs was visible, its legs torn off from being ravaged by the beast. But the smile adorning the man''s face, even though blood was sliding out, was so vivid. The expression of dying not of agony and fear, but pure relief was a sight to see. Alexander truly idolized this kind of person. Aeloria then ran towards him, holding Anya''s hand. "Uncle Barry," she spoke, biting her lip, her eyes watery, as she looked at his body being carried. "Big sister," Anya mumbled, hugging Aeloria to minimize the emotional pain. Alexander, after finishing his glance at the man, shifted his gaze towards Aeloria. "Let''s go and bury his dead body, so we can let him rest in peace now," Alexander uttered to her. Aeloria was reluctant to see him be buried, but she agreed since this was really needed. Alexander and the two then left the village. With that wave of beast attack, out of all the villagers only one person was hurt. To make it worse, he had died. "Brother, that kid just left. Aren''t you going to stabilize the situation now?" The man in black spoke, seeing that Alexander had left. Bernard nodded his head with a smile of satisfaction, "Go ahead and slashed me with that blade of yours" he spoke looking towards him, as he leaped down above the trees. "What! why should I hurt you?" the man asked with a stunned expression, as he also leaped down. He had no idea why he wants to injure his own self, "Are you stupid! Of course to make those idiots to believe that I fight my way to theirs. If I came there unscatched then I''ll be suspicious" he explained. The little brother was in awe from his older brother wisdom, "Big brother is mighty, and really smart" he said as stars forming in his eyes. "Of course I am, aren''t I the older one in this family the first place" he said with pride, "Now hurry and took out your dagger, and slashed me the more vivid it was the believable it is" he finished spreading his arms. The little brother nodded, taking out a small dagger. He then slashed it with a sneer on his face, his eyes glinting wildly. When the tip of the dagger hit his front body diagonally, he puked a mouthful of blood, stumbling back several steps. "You, you! Why did you use too much force? Are you trying to kill me?" he exclaimed in anger. "What do you think, brother? Hahaha, it hurts doesn''t it?" he said, his eyes glinting maliciously. Seeing his brother''s expression and unusual behavior, he was starting to have a bad premonition. He hurriedly stood up, clutching his bleeding chest, looking at him angrily. "Are you stupid! Let me ask you again, why are you trying to kill me? Aren''t we brothers?" he said after standing up. Hearing his words, he spat on the ground and looked at him like an idiot. "Brothers? I''ve been waiting for this my whole life. Do you think I wouldn''t know that you were keeping a secret from me?" he said with pure anger. Hearing what he said, he was stunned and looked at his angry face. "What do you mean? What secrets?" he asked, sweat forming on his forehead. "Hahaha, I know you know what I''m talking about. Don''t tell me you''ve forgotten that you fed my beast companion to your big snake? Do you think I was blind at that time?" he angrily shouted. Now that the secrets was out he laughed and look at him, "Isn''t that just a weak beast. Why do you care about its life, its nothing more than a livestock to become lunch for strong beast. Didn''t I already told you that I''m going to feed it to my snake since it would help me evolved it to the next level" he spoke, towards him. "But did I agree! You do know that was the gift of our mother when she passed away. Now that you have taken mine, I will take everything you have when you die!" he shouted full of anger. "Are you really serious? You still care about that bitch mother of ours? She died when we were young. She was really useless for bringing us to this world with nowhere for us to live and enjoy life like others. If you want to avenge her, then you''re just like her, a useless scum," Bernard retorted, not feeling guilty at all. "Also, do you even have the power to kill me? Are you dreaming? I''m one level higher than you. Even if I''m heavily injured, you can''t kill me," Bernard said with disdain. Hearing the words "bitch" and "useless," he was very angry, "We wouldn''t have come to this if you had at least respected her when she died and didn''t kill her last gift for me. This time, it''s do or die," he shouted, his voice is heavy with emotion. "You insolence! If I don''t teach you a lesson, you''ll think that I''m weak and softhearted," Bernard muttered under his breath as he rushed forward, closing the distance in a blink. He tried to sidestep to dodge it, but Bernard quickly maneuvered himself, using his foot to change direction. When they were close, he released a palm strike, covered with condensed energy. The impact was vigorous and overwhelming. But the man in the black suit blocked it, but due to the huge difference in strength, it passed through his defense, hitting him in the abdomen. He flew like a bullet, hitting the bark of the tree with his back. He fell to the ground, kneeling, with blood oozing from his mouth. Bernard was about to rush again when suddenly he felt his energy being swallowed. "You, what did you do to me?" he said angrily, surprised by the sudden changes in his body. "Hahaha, my big brother, do you really think I''m stupid? I know that I can''t beat you even if I injure you heavily. So I coated the blade with a poison, Etherbind. I think I don''t need to explain the special properties of this poison, right?" he said, ending with a laugh as he slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth. "You, you! I swear I will kill you!" Bernard said with red eyes. He clearly knew the special effects of this kind of poison, since it was famous in the continent, but it is considered rare, since its hard to be produced. If a person gets hit by this, especially a warrior, it will literally bind them down. Their abilities and supernatural strength will be sealed, making them a normal person. "Kill me? Are you hallucinating, my dear brother? You can''t even move, and you still want to kill me?" he said disdainfully as he rushed like a bullet, hitting him in the stomach. The sound of flesh being smacked was heard so loud. Bernard who was hit spat a mouthful of blood as he flew and fell to the ground. With his eyes wide open, he couldn''t move anymore. "Not so tough are you now? Before I kill you, I will steal your hard work first," he said with a wide grin on his face. But first, before he did that, he tore off his face. There seemed to be a layer of skin, just like a mask, hiding his real face. The same as his little brother, his face was also terrifying to look at. "I want to see your real face before taking everything. So, you''d better cherish this moment," he said, holding him by the neck, lifting him off the ground. As for the real village chief? No one knows what happened to him. But if you looked carefully, it was clear he was already dead. When he was being carried up, the man slowly exerted force. Suddenly, his hand glowed darker, with an ominous feeling. Bernard, if that was his real name at all, felt like the energy inside him was being absorbed. "You, you! Don''t tell me you joined the Blood Moon Cult. This absorption method is only accessible to those members of this cult. I can''t believe I let a floating time bomb get close to me!" he said with regret, but there was nothing he could do. His level slowly became lower and lower, and the man''s aura slowly increased. His level, which was in the Battle Master stage, rose to Grandmaster. While Bernard turned into a dead corpse that looked like it hadn''t eaten for years. "Thanks for the meal," the man said, feeling the overwhelming power coursing through him. He then lowered his legs a little and took something from his big brother''s pocket. It was a black rock, that is the size of a fingernail. He then put it in his pocket while he left the place. Now the only thing he needed to do was finish his plan, which was to get the blood gem to increase his big brother''s beast companion''s level and avenge himself against the kid who beat him up. Chapter 65 - 64 Alexander and the two were already far from the village, they were in a place filled with serenity and beauty. It was a peaceful scene of a forest clearing bathed in the golden light of the radiating sun. The foreground was made up of a lush expanse of green grass, dotted with delicate white wildflowers. A large, sturdy tree stood in the center, where its branches reaching out towards the sky, casting long shadows across the clearing. The sun, peeking through the branches, created a warm glow that illuminated the place. There was already a hole dug, big enough for a whole person. Alexander didn''t bury the body with dirt first, but looked at Aeloria beside him. Aeloria, who had already accepted her uncle''s death in name, still knelt and prayed in respect. Even though she was sad, she could only give him a farewell, hoping his next life would be something grander. "Alex, I''m good now. You can let Uncle Barry rest in peace. Thank you," she said, looking at him with her runny nose. She was like a child, from her current appearance. He nodded his head and took the shovel, burying the dead. Seeing the man slowly being buried in the ground until his face could no longer be seen, tears started to form in her eyes again. Anya seeing this, hugged her tightly. "Big sister, don''t worry, Anya will never disappear, and never ever going to leave you. I promised," she mumbled in a soft tone. Her heart, which had been wrenching in pain, seemed to have calmed down a little, when it was fully buried. Aeloria picked up a white flower and placed it on the buried corpse. "This little sister of yours is happy to have someone like you, Uncle Barry. Farewell," she said as she placed the white flower. "Anya, go ahead and pick up a flower and put it at the three burial grounds. To pay respect to your uncle and also to your parents," Aeloria instructed, since the place was also where Anya''s parents were buried. Anya nodded and put some flowers at each burial ground. Alexander stood behind the two of them, watching this scene. He kept silent as the two finished paying their respects. He was staring at this scene, while his mind is wandering. He imagined where his piece-of-shit grandfather was already dead, so he could piss on his own coffin. The old man had already lived far too long, and at least with this his anger could be extinguished a little. "Alex, let''s go back," Aeloria muttered, already standing in front of him. He was still lost in his own dream, doing stupid things at that old man''s burial place. When he heard Aeloria''s voice, it snapped him out of his dreamy state. [I sometimes mashed up Aeloria''s name to Aoleria and sometimes Aerolia. I should have made her name easier to remember, since every time I type, I have to double-check.] "Are you done?" Alexander asked, looking at her face. "Yes," she mumbled, only one word. Alexander nodded his head as they left the place. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As they were walking back, Anya seemed to be a little tired, maybe because of the emotional and psychological happenings earlier. He carried her on his back, and Anya slept soundly with a smile. Seeing the two, with Alex acting like a father with a child, she couldn''t help but feel warm from this scene. They went home on a quiet journey. In a cave, the man in the black suit, whose face was already on display, shouted. "Big snake, hurry up and greet your master," his voice echoing through the place. Suddenly, a slithering sound was heard, as the big serpent arrived again. Seeing its blood-red eyes, the man was not afraid. The serpent, that was sensing something wrong, looked at the man in front of him. Suddenly, it smelled the blood of its master on its master''s younger brother. The serpent hissed angrily, turning ferocious suddenly, knowing that its master must have been killed. It slithered forward, wanting to avenge its master. The man just smiled at this, taking something from his pocket. When the snake was just three steps away, it stopped, feeling pain within itself. It slumped down to the ground, rolling in pain. The man was holding the black stone, that is the size of a fingernail in his hand. He laughed, seeing that the serpent was wriggling in pain on the ground. "You little beast, don''t think you can defy me. What I have in my hand is the black stone that is connected to your heart. If I break it, you will die. You better listen to my command, or I''ll kill you," the man said, releasing his killing intent to make the beast submit to him. Seeing that it had no choice, the serpent reluctantly nodded, accepting the person who killed its master as its new master. Seeing that he had finally tamed the beast, the man laughed, feeling elated. "Now, I want you to get back and sleep. I will call you again when it''s time to move," he stated, which the serpent seemed to understand. It then slithered its way to the deepest part of the cave, while the man sat in a lotus position to consolidate the energy he had absorbed earlier. Leaving it unchecked could cause a strain inside him. As Alexander arrived at the wooden house, he went inside and slowly put Anya on the bed. He did it carefully, afraid that she would wake up. When he put her in the bed, he then got up and sat at the table outside. He was lost in a deep thought, trying to figure out how to deal with the problem. He needed to investigate tonight to find out the source that is controlling the beasts. Aeloria, seeing him alone, took the seat across the table and pulled it next to him. Alexander, seeing this, just glanced at her. She looked okay now, since her face seemed livelier, and she looked fully invigorated. "Alex, is there a problem? Why are you spacing out, and you seem to be in a deep thought?" she asked, looking at him in the eye. Hearing her question, he just shook his head and smiled reassuringly. "Don''t worry, I''m just thinking about something," he replied. Hearing this, she nodded her head and shifted her gaze in front where the trees were standing. But sometimes, she would take a peek at him, making her blush. Alexander didn''t notice this since he was focusing on how to catch that bastard Bernard off guard. As he thought for a while, he made a choice and decided to rush to Bernard''s residence tonight when everyone was asleep. Suddenly, he felt something soft lean on his shoulder. He froze for a moment and lowered his head a little. He saw that Aeloria''s head was leaning on his shoulder, making him stunned by this sudden happening. He didn''t know what he should do, so he stayed quiet. Meanwhile, Aeloria''s face was so red. What she did was really bold, "You girl, what are you doing? This is so embarrassing!" she exclaimed inwardly, her heart jumping wildly in her chest. Alexander glanced at her again. Suddenly, his eyes darted down her neckline, seeing her fair skin and cleavage. He couldn''t help but be captivated by the sight. He was about to linger on it when Aeloria suddenly looked up, catching him in the act. He hurriedly looked away, trying to seem innocent. Aeloria, seeing him staring at her deeply, looked at the place where he was looking, and it was her chest, exposed through the neckline of her clothes. She was embarrassed and looked down, "Do you want to touch it? I don''t mind," she muttered in a mosquito-like voice, her face turning crimson. Alexander, hearing this, was stunned. His mind was saying no, but his mouth betrayed him. "I can?" he muttered. He was stunned at how quickly his mouth had spoken. His hormones were really high now that he had reached 18 years old. Hearing him reply so fast, she was very embarrassed to say anything. As she just only nods her head. Seeing her approval, he really wanted to do it, but he stopped since this is not good, "Hahaha, It''s just a joke! I should leave for now to observe the surroundings," he said with a broken laugh as he slowly let her sit up. He then dashed into the forest at high speed. He was very afraid of committing a crime in broad daylight. Aeloria was stunned, seeing him escape so fast. She froze for a moment, then laughed heartily when he was gone. Her laugh was like a melody as she watched him leave. She then stopped and looked down. Slowly, she took her two hands, fumbling her plump breast that seems like she was massaging it. "Is my breast not attractive enough, or is he not manly enough to do it?" she mumbled in a low voice, squeezing it, feeling its softness like that of a marshmallow. Alexander was already far away from his current location. He took a deep breath and sighed in relief. He knew that the two of them couldn''t be together. If he had acted on his impulse, and when the mission was done, where couldn''t come back here anymore, Aeloria would be left alone leaving his responsibility. So, instead of just focusing on his little brother, he needs to think about her too. Chapter 66 - 65 Alexander wandered in the forest to pass time, only returning when it was time for lunch. When he came back, there was no awkwardness, making him sigh in relief. Anya also woke up around that time. Since he had nothing to do in the afternoon, he played ''Tag You''re It'' with Anya. Aeloria just watched this scene, where Anya ran towards her, holding her hands and dragging her into the game. She reluctantly agreed to play, and Alexander made sure to lower his speed so the game would be more enjoyable if he was catchable. Finally, night struck, and it was time. After finishing his lunch, Anya went to sleep. Alexander rested for a while, and he saw Aeloria exit the wooden house and walk towards him. "Are you going somewhere?" she asked, noticing that his behavior seemed to be waiting for something. "Yes, Aeloria. Can I ask you something?" he said, looking at her. "Sure," she replied with a blush, seeing him so serious. "When the beasts attack, do they constantly go on a rampage every day, or is this the first time for it to occur?" he asked. Hearing the question, she realized it was something serious and not personal at all. She felt sad for a moment but didn''t show it. "Well, to tell you the truth, they attacked the village every 3-4 days before they attacked again. It''s kind of strange for them to do it this time for over two consecutive days," she said, smelling something fishy. Alexander nodded, "I see" he muttered in reply, this ignited his curiosity on why they increased the pace. "If the beasts attack the village again tomorrow, he must be prepared that day," he thought, but seeing his silence, she was confused and asked again, "Where are you going, in this time of the night?" "Nothing, I''m going to pay the village chief a visit to have a private talk with him," he said calmly, but the coldness in his eyes was circulating. Seeing him like this, while mentioning the village chief, and sensing his growing anger, she was confused. "Don''t tell me you are expecting the village chief to be the cause of this?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. Seeing that he had been seen through, he nodded his head in reply. "Yes, I don''t want to tell you this since I have no evidence yet. But think about it carefully. During the first beast attack, he was late to come, and he seemed fine. There was no hint of panic in his face at all." "To tell you the truth, I fought two men in black suits yesterday that seemed to be the cause of this, and I felt the mastermind''s aura was the same as your village chief. I didn''t expose him yet, since no one would believe a stranger on his first day, right?" "Lastly, earlier this morning, you didn''t see him, right? With this, you can clearly see that he was hiding something," he finished, looking at Aeloria. Not knowing that the man who was impersonating the village chief was already dead. Listening to his explanations, Aeloria couldn''t help but think for a moment. Seeing her half-believing him, he spoke, "Don''t worry if you don''t believe me, that is fin-" He did not finish when his words were cut off by Aeloria. "I believe you Alex. Since it''s you after all," she said with a smile. Alexander couldn''t help but feel a sudden warmth. He smiled at her and replied, "That''s good, but you need to stay inside and don''t go out, okay? I''ll be back after I''m done." "Be careful in your way, try to avoid danger if ever," Aeloria spoke with concern. Alexander nodded with a smile, motioning for her to go inside. Feeling reluctant for him to leave, she just nodded and went inside the wooden house. Seeing her safely inside, Alexander walked to the path leading to the village. Since it was night, there were no other villagers on the road. His movements were quiet, concealing himself. He was like a shadow, moving at a constant speed. No one could catch a glimpse of him at all, since he was so fast. Suddenly, he stopped just outside the door of a big wooden house. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He knew that this must be the house of the village chief, since it was the only one that looked different from the others, since it has its very own balcony. He then leaped up to the balcony and looked at the windows, which were dark inside. Opening the door, he went inside. Walking in, he saw that there were at least two small doors leading to something. He slowly walked and he opened the two doors but found nothing insde. He then walked to the stairs, checking every room in the house. He went to the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, there was nothing to find at all. Suddenly his eyes caught something in the table. What he saw was a coffee in a small mug, which hadn''t been touched yet. It was also cold, making him stop in his tracks for a moment. "Did he not come back? Or did he run off to escape after seeing my prowess?" Alexander thought deeply, but no answer came. "Let''s check everything to see if he leaves any clues at all," Alexander muttered, as he checked every room again. Like the drawers, every wall, and even under the beds and tables. He even tried to knock on every wall and floor, searching for any secret passage, since he had seen this a lot on TV, but he didn''t find anything, making him frown. "That bastard is good at keeping secrets. There''s no clue at all," he cursed inwardly, deciding to go back since there was nothing to be found at all. He quickly left the place like a shadow, leaving no traces of what he did. He was like a gust of air as he was outside the balcony. Running fast towards the forest, he decided to stay outside of Aeloria''s house for a bit to observe the surroundings. The same thing happened again that night. Alexander was cultivating, as the red gemstones glowing once more. The beasts, located far from the village, began to convulse, while rolling on the ground as if their souls were being ripped from their bodies. They all began to struggle, as their eyes turning red, before passing out. As early morning struck, they all woke up. This time, Alexander was already in the outskirts of the village and saw this scene about them rising from the dead. He saw the beasts wake up one by one and charge into the village, attacking in all directions. He hurriedly went back, waking the two girls, and then brought them to the villagers. He then took out his swords, vanquishing them one by one. With his increased in stats, the beasts, which were like insects, became even lower than insects. Fueled by the massive buffs from both of his skill [Bloodlust] and [Berserker Instinct], no beast could come close to the villagers houses at all. His speed was like teleportation as he arrived before their eyes could blink, killing them with a few hits. When he killed all of them, the villagers started to feel more aggrieved, knowing that the beasts seemed to become more active now. Luckily, the young warrior is here if not. They would have died many times already. When everything was done, Alexander instructed all of them to clean up the place. Alexander then went to the old woman he had saved yesterday. "Auntie, can Aeloria and Anya stay in your home for a while? Since their place is far, and I''m really afraid that the beasts are going to attack yet again, if they are located far away from the village" Alexander asked, feeling worried for the two. The old woman agreed to his request without a second thought, "Sure, young warrior. What you are doing is already a great favor to us. I''m happy to be able to help you at all," she said with a smile. Alexander smiled then left for a moment. He then went towards the two, relaying his plans. Aeloria just listened and agreed, like a young girl following his elders. The two then went towards the old woman''s place, while Alexander went to investigate, but the result was nothing. The man in black had no time to care about Alexander since his focus this time was on increasing his level. He was just waiting for Alexander to fully charge the blood gem, so he can used it. [Mission: Saved the Village Difficulty: Medium Reward: +3 Level, Random Middle grade item, and New system function. Description: You will be transported to another world on an Island called ''Mistveil Island''. The goal of this is to keep the village ''Ariana'' from the beast attacks and find the mastermind attracting this beast. You will be transported after 3 days, please be prepared. Failing the mission, will make the host experience sperm cramps for 1 week with 100% pain intensity. Time Remaining: 21 days] Seeing that he still had plenty of time, he didn''t need to worry about it. He could also level up by having the beasts constantly attack the village, so he just let them rampage. Since it was also for his best interest. He was so focused on this that he didn''t notice the gem, which was just a simple red gem, was becoming darker, seeming to look like dark blood. He had been here for about six days in the village, where his job every day was to kill beasts. [Status Experience: 23/25,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 36 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 24 Strength: 74 Speed: 71 Agility: 71 Dexterity: 55 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 75 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] As he finished his work of slaying the beasts, the villagers, who seemed to have gotten used to it, watched him were still in awe. They really loved the feeling of seeing someone strong in action. It was a rare sight, even if it was just repetitive since they are all normal people. When night struck, Alexander took a deep rest. But first, he greeted the old woman in her house, where Anya and Aeloria were residing. Aeloria had made some evening meal to replenish his stomach, which he ate heartily. In the far side of the village, a beast with black eyes in the dark forest, seemed to sense a strong fluctuation of energy. He felt that if he went there now, he could break through. So the beast didn''t think twice. In the darkness, he stood up and spread his wings, hidden from the view. But its sheer power could not be underestimated at all. When it spread his wings, the trees shook, and some were even uprooted from the ground with just a swing of them. With a screech, the creature let out a terrifying roar. The beasts who were in the area were afraid, their bodies were shaking uncontrollably as they ran far away from the beast. The man inside the cave also stood up, opening his eyes full of energy. "Just one day remaining, then it''s time for the harvest," he muttered as he left the cave. This night would be a sleepless night for the villagers and Alexander. Chapter 67 - 66 [Editing Done] Alexander, who was inside was alone, of course he had a room of his own, he had no idea that danger was coming towards the village. He was about to cultivate when the door was opened. It made a small creaking sound as a woman came in. He was sitting in the bed in a lotus position as he sat upright on it, seeing that the woman is none other than Aeloria making him furrow his brows. "Are you alright, Alex? You seem to be overworking yourself in these past few days," she asked as she sat beside him, her voice tinged with concern. Hearing her concerns, he just smiled and shook his head. "Don''t worry about me. My energy is like a raging bull. How could I become tired even if I''m overworking myself?" he muttered. Aeloria hearing this just laughed softly, which made Alexander freeze up a bit. He then decided to ask what her reasons for coming here late this night. "Is Anya already asleep? What happens if she wakes up, not seeing you there?" he asked. "Don''t worry, she''s already in a deep sleep. She was insisting to sleep with Grandma May, so there is nothing to worry about," she replied, answering him. He nodded his head in reply and asked, "Are you still not sleepy? It''s already so late at night," he asked, looking at her in the face. Aeloria just glanced around the room and replied, "I can''t sleep," she said with a giggle. "Ohh," he nodded his head, but why is she in my room though? That is the thing he does not know. The silence inside the room was so loud that only their breaths could be heard. At this time, Aeloria was playing with his finger, wanting to say something. "Is there something you need? Don''t worry, you can ask me anything as long as it''s achievable," he muttered, trying to ease her, so he can know. "Umm, actually there is," she replied. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" she uttered, her cheeks were red from her words. Inside her, she was screaming at how bold she was with this. Alexander, who was just chilling, was momentarily stunned from what he heard. He looked at her with a stunned face. "What did you say!" He exclaimed again as his hands were trembling. "I said, can I sleep with you tonight. Don''t let me repeat it again, it''s embarrassing," she muttered in a very low voice, even her redness reached her ears. Alexander didn''t know what to say. This is the first time for him to hear this kind of words. Like, what is he going to say? He had no experience, but since she was just going to sleep, then he will just let her sleep. Hearing no reply, Aeloria took it as an agreement. She slowly crawled up in the bed, lying down where her back was facing him. Alexander, seeing her reaction, he was calm as the lake, but his heart was trembling. His proud skill ''Heart of Stone'' was practically a little useless in this situation. So he also lay down, but since the bed wasn''t really that big some direct contact is inevitable, because it was only made for one person. Meanwhile Aeloria was thinking deeply remembering something, just a few days ago when they live here the old woman which she called Grandma May have a talk about her. "Aeloria, do you like that young warrior? You can tell me, and don''t worry, I will keep it a secret," Grandma May asked when they were sitting in the living room alone. Aeloria, who was just sitting in the chair, dazing off, was stunned by Grandma May''s words. She blushed all of a sudden, as the shyness on her face was so vivid. "Grandma May, how can you say that? I don''t like him, at all," she replied, but her face betrayed the validity of her words at all. Grandma May just smiled knowingly, "Aiyah, Aeloria, you don''t need to be so shy. I can see that your eyes always soften whenever you talk to him. You''re like a child whenever you were with him. You do know that I''m not blind these past few days," she spoke with a serious tone. Aeloria, hearing her words, blushed. She didn''t know that it was actually so obvious. But how come Alex did not notice at all? Grandma May, seeing her so shy, couldn''t help but reminisce about her young days. It was a day filled with love and romance. Now that she is old, she still couldn''t forget this feeling. "If you want some guidance, this old lady can offer you some advice on how you could win him. Since you can greatly see how capable the young warrior was, I don''t think that he doesn''t lack any admirers at all," Grandma May spoke seriously, since she really wants Aeloria to take this chance while Alexander was here. Aeloria stopped and was now in deep thought. What Grandma May said in front of her is really true. She knows how capable Alex is, since he was still young but was already so capable. His future would be much brighter than any other man, and because of that he wouldn''t lack any woman at all. This made her heart uneasy thinking about this. Seeing her anxiety, Grandma May couldn''t help but smile naughtily. "So Aeloria, do you want some advice?" Grandma May inquired again, with a smile. "Yes, Grandma May, please teach me," she replied, wanting to learn the skills. "That''s good, Aeloria. You need to woman up for this. Now first, what do you think is the best way to conquer a man?" she asked Aeloria with a serious face. Aeloria hearing this, was in a deep thought trying to know the question. But nothing came to her mind, "I don''t know grandma, what is it?" she asked, hastily not knowing the answer. Grandma May couldn''t help but sigh and answered, "To conquer a man, of course is to cook him a meal every day. He will be conquered by your cooking skills as time goes by, but it has a low success rate. But there is one thing that you can do to conquer him in just one try," she stated with a knowing gaze. Aeloria nodded her head at the first since she knows that Alex really loved her cooking and sometimes complimented her about it. But that''s just about it, so she looked at Grandma May again and asked. "What is the best strategy, Grandma May?" she asked with an innocent face. Seeing her ignorance, that seems to have no idea what she was implying, she was very surprised that her mind was still innocent after the recent happenings. She could not help but shook her head, "You know what I am talking about, of course sleep with him" she exclaimed. Listening to her sudden raise of volume, she was stunned. Hearing what the most effective strategy was, made her freeze in the chair. Her face was so red, reaching both her neck and ears. She didn''t deny the idea but was so embarrassed to reply. "Aeloria, trust me. I can see that young Alex is a responsible person. If something did happen, he won''t let it be. So, this is the best chance for you to do what you wanted," she uttered, lecturing her like a student. Aeloria nodded her head and replied in a mosquito voice. "I''ll try," she muttered, and that came to their end of conversation. She tried to look for some chances these past few days, but there''s nothing, since sometimes. She can see how busy Alex was. But this time, because Grandma May wanted to give her this chance, she talked with Anya to have a night sleep with her. With this chance, Grandma May looked at her, indicating her to act now, while she held Anya''s hands, leading her to her room. Aeloria was shy seeing how expectant Grandma May was, so she poured all her courage just for this. Now, this leads to the current situation. The position they are in the bed was lying sideways so they can fit in the bed. Alexander was in a dilemma, he couldn''t move at all. His hands were being pinned down from his body. Since his back was already hitting the wall of the room, so he couldn''t move at all. To find a comfortable spot, he tried to lift it a little, but he accidentally applied a little force, making it fly, hitting something soft and bouncy. "Shit," he cursed inwardly, seeing that his hands suddenly smacked her butt. He looked at her, waiting for her scolding, but she was so quiet at all. But he can hear his heavy breathing, even though she can''t see her. Suddenly, Aeloria turned sideways, with their eyes facing each other. Alexander could see how charming she was in this situation, added by her loose shirt, he couldn''t help but want to commit a crime. "Alexander, do you want to?" she muttered, lowering her gaze. Her tone was so flirtatious as her face was red as a tomato. Alexander, hearing this, felt like he was thrown in a cold river. He gritted his teeth and accepted his faith. He quickly rolled and pinned her down in the bed as both his hands were placed on her shoulders. Aeloria was taken by surprise. Alexander was now on top of her, as she evaded his gaze, feeling so embarrassed. Both of her delicate hands were on her chest, feeling her heartbeat that was racing so fast. "Are you sure, you''re not going to regret it?" Alexander muttered in a heavy breath, as his nostrils flared. Aeloria just nodded her head that is positioned sideways. She was so shy that she couldn''t look at him at all. Seeing the reply, Alexander couldn''t handle it anymore. He slowly caressed her shoulders, feeling the heat all over him was intensifying. His fingers ran across her skin just like a gentle breeze, reaching over her neck as it slowly slid down. But before it reached her cleavage, he took his fingers back. He held her two hands delicately as he placed them steadily on the sides to not cover up the view. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He can see that her chest was heaving up and down, with the cherry tips of her breast becoming a little transparent because of the thin fabric of her clothes. He couldn''t help but suck in a deep breath, seeing this scene. He slowly lowered his head to her peerless white neck as he pressed his lips. Meanwhile, Aeloria was closing her eyes, feeling hot all over her. She couldn''t help but release a soft moan, feeling his hot breath on her neck. Hearing this, the fire in him was ignited and was now out of control. He was about to begin, but suddenly, he stopped. He felt a strong presence that was moving at a fast speed. Its aura was getting heavier and heavier as seconds passed. No matter how reluctant he was, he couldn''t help but stop. But before he got off from her, he sucked her neck, making Aeloria electrified. As he stepped back, he could see the hickey, a bruised-like mark caused by sucking it. "Aeloria, let''s stop for a while. Hurry up and wake Anya and Grandma May," he muttered as he got off the bed, looking at the side of the wall, sensing the presence. Aeloria feeling the hot breath in her neck stopped, and hearing his words, was stunned at first. She opened her eyes and saw his serious face. She hurriedly stood up on the bed, sensing that something must have happened for him to act like this. "Is there a problem, Alex?" she asked, seeing him being so serious, like never before. Alexander just stopped from his daze and looked at her with a smile. "Don''t worry, it''s just a small problem. Hurry up and wake up the two and find a safe place to hide. When I come back, you better be prepared," he spoke, feeling angry from the approaching creature or beast for disturbing him. Aeloria hearing him blushed but deep inside she was a little angry since she was also expecting it to happen tonight. She then went out, waking up Anya and Grandma May, relaying what Alex said earlier. While Alexander was outside of the house, above the roof of the house, up in the sky with the full moon in its background, he saw a huge flying creature filled with an overpowering presence. Chapter 68 - 67 Alexander realized the flying beast before him was a formidable one, its presence was even more daunting than the rat''s. He was unsure of his ability to combat it, but he knew he had no choice. "I cannot allow it to reach the village, or there will be a bloodbath," he roared, sprinting toward the forest and leaping into the trees. Propelled like a cannonball, he aimed to cut off its path. As he soared, a sword materialized in his right hand, blazing with an infernal glow. Drawing nearer, he caught a fleeting look at the creature''s form. It is a monstrous creature with a reptilian appearance. It has large, black leathery wings that are spread wide, giving it a menacing presence. The creature''s body is long and serpentine, with a thick, muscular torso and a long, tapering tail. Its legs are short and powerful, with sharp claws at the end of each foot, and its head has a long, pointed snout with sharp teeth. Its wings covered the sky, letting everyone know its presence. It was about 7 meters tall, clearly a sight to behold. Alexander did not fret at all. He needs to give everything he got. Gripping the handle of the sword in his hand, his eyes blazed red. [Berserker Instinct was Activated] [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 10%.] [Bloodlust was activated] [Strength and Speed increased by 60%] [Status Experience: 23/25,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 36 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 24 Strength: 74 -> 125 Speed: 71 -> 120 Agility: 71 Dexterity: 55 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 75 Charisma: 10 {MAX} With all his strength, he made a rough and heavy swing in mid-air as he hacked at the beast. The strike was swift and brutal. The flying creature seeing a shadow in its sight and realized it was a human. It narrowed its eyes and growled angrily as its black eyes glinted maliciously. Before Alexander could reach it to attack, the beast countered his strikes with a tail whip. Alexander growled, being overpowered. The beast was so strong that even the scales of its tail were harder than steel, creating sparks and shockwaves that spread throughout the surroundings. Seeing that the human in front of him had strength, the beast growled ferociously. It was so loud that the beasts in the surrounding area ran for their lives. The villagers were greatly woken up by the loud roar. Getting outside of their homes, they saw something straight out of a nightmare. Some of them kneeled on the ground, looking at it above the sky. "It''s the mighty flying creature of the night, Ravenwing. We are all doomed," the villagers muttered, in dismay, as their life lost color all of a sudden. "We are doomed. That young man could not handle that beast at all. This is the end," another one added. They also saw Alexander''s figure up in the sky, even though it was far away. Aeloria and Anya were also outside, seeing his opponent. She was also pale, seeing the appearance of the beast. She was trembling all over, seeing the flying beast in the night sky. "Alex, please be safe. Please be safe. Please be alright," she prayed in her heart, since she knows how dangerous this beast is. Ravenwing, a race of beasts called the Nightwing. They are not the same as dragons, but their might and prowess cannot be underestimated at all. It is even stated that an adult Ravenwing is truly terrifying, since it can destroy and cause mass destruction for some small cities. "Everyone, we should escape and find a safe place to hide," one of the villagers suggested. The rest of them looked at him like an idiot. If they really do escape, where should they run off to? The forest? They will die from the beasts in there. Also, even though they were afraid, they didn''t want to leave the young warrior who has been protecting them for days. Seeing the resolute look of the rest of the villagers, the one who suggested this gritted his teeth and decided to stay. But all of them took a step back to find a safer spot. The man in black, who was up in the forest, saw that a Ravenwing appeared in the sky. "Fuck, why is this beast here? Was it also attracted to the blood gem? This is bad. It''s still not fully charged yet," he cursed. He could only pray for Alexander to defeat it so he can use the blood gem for his self. But he didn''t put his trust in Alexander at all. He clearly knows how strong a flying creature like that is. It was a spirit beast that had cultivated its body and spirit to a strong level. Alexander, whose sword strike was blocked by the beast, and was being overpowered as the Ravenwing increased the strength in its tail, making him fly back. He gritted his teeth, feeling the strong force of the beast. He flew like a meteor, but quickly balanced himself, landing on the ground with one knee. Looking straight up, he leaped up again, as the ground beneath him caved in. He began to face it again, with another strike. The Ravenwing looked at him disdainfully for being such a nuisance. It opened its huge jaw, releasing a roar that was devastatingly powerful. It seemed to break the sound barrier, creating a sonic wave. Alexander was caught by surprise and was hit. His ears buzzed as he fell to the ground, creating a big crater. Seeing him fall again, the villagers began to sigh, knowing that the young warrior was no match for it after all. Alexander spurted a mouthful of blood. His body was greatly pinned to the ground, as he stood up from it. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This beast is really different from what I have fought. Even with the buff of my skills, I am no match at all," Alexander said with a frown. He didn''t know what to do since everything seemed to be working against him. Suddenly, unknown to him, a smile was slowly forming on his face as he looked at the beast. Not feeling scared at all, since he will not die, but if he dies then the people behind him will die. "It''s do or die right now," he muttered. His killing intent surged, as his strength increased. The beast hovered above, wings spread wide and casting a dark shadow over Alexander. With a powerful beat of those wings, it sent a fierce gust of wind downward, nearly forcing him back to his knees. The Ravenwing let out another growl, its piercing black eyes glinting with malice, as if relishing a low insect''s struggles. Alexander steadied himself, gripping his sword tighter. He took a deep breath, focusing his energy and letting his strength surge through him. Without hesitation, he leaped forward, aiming another strike at the creature''s chest. But the Ravenwing anticipated his move, twisting its body just enough for Alexander''s blade to barely scrape across its hardened scales, sending a scatter of sparks but doing no real damage at all. The Ravenwing retaliated, swinging its tail with even greater speed. Alexander barely managed to duck, feeling the force graze the top of his head. The shockwave from the impact caused a rattle in his bones. He skidded back, but he quickly launched himself forward yet again, with cold eyes, not to give it an inch of rest. He swung his sword down in a brutal arc, hoping to break through its defenses. But once again, the beast''s tail intercepted, blocking his strike effortlessly. Gritting his teeth, Alexander''s mind raced. He knew he had to find an opening, a weak point in its defenses. But the Ravenwing wasn''t giving him any. Every time he moved in, its tail, wings, or claws were there, deflecting his blows, creating a wall of impenetrable defense. "This beast is really such a headache," he bellowed, clearly irritated. The Ravenwing''s laughter, a dark and rumbling sound, filled the air, mocking him for his attempts. Enraged, Alexander pushed himself harder, calling on every reserve of strength he had. His eyes turned crimson as he increased his strength. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 30%.] He slashed at the beast with relentless speed, each strike faster and harder than the last, but it was like striking at an unbreakable stone. His hands began to ache from the impact, his arms growing heavier, but he refused to back down. Once more, the beast opened its massive jaws, preparing to unleash another thunderous roar. This time, Alexander braced himself, crossing his arms to shield his ears just as the sound exploded outward, shaking the very earth beneath him. The villagers gasped, watching helplessly as he was thrown back again, dust and debris clouding around his fallen form. Slowly, Alexander pushed himself up, blood trickling from his lips. His body screamed in pain, and yet, beneath it all, he felt the faintest hint of exhilaration. "Alright, you flying creature," he muttered, while gritting his teeth, a fierce light is present in his eyes. "Let''s see just how strong you really are." Alexander said coldly, narrowing his eyes. He held the blade in his hand with a strong momentum, maximizing his strength. The aura surrounding him became thicker and stronger. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 50%.] Seeing him about to strike again, suddenly the beast growled loudly in the sky, as some small flying creatures covered the whole sky. There were not hundreds of them, but thousands. They were small flying creatures that had the same features as a Ravenwing. The beast then growled, signaling all its lackeys to wreak havoc and wipe out everything. Alexander just stood on his grounds, as a grin formed across his face. With this, he knows that if his blade absorbs this small creature''s blood, his strength will soar exponentially. "You have made a wrong move" Alexander said with a laugh. Chapter 69 - 68 The sky darkened as the swarm of smaller creatures blotted out the stars, each one bearing a resemblance of the Ravenwing''s ferocity. Alexander''s grip on his sword tightened as he felt the surge of raw power from his skill [Berserker Instinct] The thick aura around him pulsed, shifting with his intent. His eyes gleamed with a cold red light as he steadied himself for the onslaught. The first wave of the smaller beasts dove down, screeching as they hurtled toward him. The villagers gasped at this scene, they could not fathom on how they could still be alive after this, Aeloria hugged Anya tightly as she looked at the thousands of flying creatures swooping down. Alexander met them head-on, slicing through their body in a powerful arc. His blade flashed as it cut down several creatures in a single blow, blood spilling in the air, as dark red droplets fueling his strength with each strike. [Unique Passive activated: Stats increased by 10%] He felt a familiar heat coursing through his veins as his power increased. Another beast lunged at him from the side, but he turned swiftly, cleaving it in half and absorbing its blood. More creatures fell upon him, clawing and shrieking, but each one that met his blade only served to make him stronger. His aura flared brighter, and his speed and power rose with each kill. [Stats increased by 20%] The creatures kept coming, relentless and unending, but Alexander''s was very happy his movements were becoming more faster, his strikes becomes more harder, his focus began to turn sharper. He danced through the swarm, every slice of his blade another life taken, every drop of blood spilled another surge of power. The villagers watching from a distance could hardly believe their eyes, the god in front of their eyes when he fought the beast was appearing again. The Ravenwing, observing from above, grew uneasy. It saw that the little insect aura was increasing over time making him surprised, It let out a furious roar, commanding more of its minions to attack in a desperate attempt to overwhelm him. But the sheer numbers only served to hasten Alexander''s growth. His body hummed with raw energy, his movements a blur as he cleaved through the air, striking down beast after beast. He felt his strength swell further, nearly doubling now, every stat heightened to its limit. [Stats increased by 80%] [Unique Passive of Infernal Fury was now at maximum] By now, the entire field was littered with the remains of the creatures, and Alexander''s aura had transformed into a blazing force that seemed to rival the Ravenwing''s own. Blood streaked all over him, and yet he only grinned, his gaze locked onto the beast above. "Come down and face me yourself!" he bellowed, his voice booming with the intensity of his power. [Status Experience: 23/25,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 36 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 24 Strength: 74 -> 215 Speed: 71 -> 170 Agility: 71 -> 133 Dexterity: 55 -> 99 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 75 -> 135 Charisma: 10 {MAX} His stats soared exaggertedly by maxing every unique passive and skill, he really had to thank the Ravenwing for feeding him. In response, the Ravenwing spread its wings wide, filling the sky with a furious black storm of energy. It dove toward Alexander, ready to end the battle once and for all. But Alexander was ready. Fueled by the lives he''d taken, his blade thrummed with a deadly intent, sharper and more powerful than ever. As the Ravenwing closed in, Alexander leapt high into the air, meeting it head-on, his blade glowing with the blood-forged strength of countless kills. With a fierce roar, he swung down, the force of his strike igniting the very air around him as he aimed for the heart of the mighty beast. The beast roared angrily as its claws came into colliding with his attack, his claws were the three time bigger than his swords. Its like a toothpick colliding with a knife, but no one is backing down. The ground shook as Alexander''s legs sank into the earth, forming a crater that grew larger and deeper as they battled with sheer strength. Even at full power, Alexander was losing. The beast, perceiving this, let out a cold growl and used its wings to propel itself forward, aiming to crush the human before it into the ground. The intense force brought Alexander to his knees, he felt as if the bones in his legs were being crushed slowly, emitting a cracking sound. The impact of their clash was monumental, creating a pit where Alexander stood, now 15 feet deep, with the crater''s width expanding to 20 meters. The shockwave turned the surrounding area''s wind into a storm, causing even some smaller trees to topple. Alexander, seemingly on the verge of passing out, had his vision blur and felt himself slowly succumbing. "System, allocate all of my free points to strength, I''m bringing this beast down with me!" he bellowed with all his might. "Roger that, host," the system responded. [Status Experience: 23/25,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 36 -> 0 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 24 Strength: 110 -> 319 Speed: 71 -> 170 Agility: 71 -> 133 Dexterity: 55 -> 99 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 75 -> 135 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Suddenly, his muscles tightened as a surge of strength washed over him like a tsunami. With the buff from his active skill, his strength doubled, catching the beast off guard with surprise. As the beast realized the human was pushing it back, leaving it stumped, Alexander thrust the large flying creature upward, causing it to tumble in mid-air. With the ferocity of a wild beast, he exerted tremendous force in his legs, creating cracking sounds. His eyes turned a fiery red, that even pain is becoming a mere afterthought, and his bloodlust was so intense that any ordinary person would faint on the spot. With a leaped he flew like a cannonball the Ravenwing threw out his tail that covered with scales to defend, but this time the beast was petrified. Alexander sword in his hand, was burning with red flame. The sword, seemingly imbued with sheer bloodlust, swung heavily and collided with the beast''s tail. It pierced through the armored scales, bypassing its defenses to reach the flesh within. Blood spurted from the severed tail as it fell to the ground, and the beast''s black eyes turned into an abyss. As it opened its jaws, a potent energy began to condense, brimming with destructive force. Undeterred, Alexander stood his ground, with the sword raised high. As the massive ball of energy was released, Alexander cleaved through it as if wielding a heavy axe. The sword and the energy orb clashed, sending sparks flying. The resulting sound resembled the shattering of glass. Despite being above ground, the impact created a vast crater, and the shockwave was so powerful that the surrounding trees were forced to succumb. The villagers, even at a distance, were buffeted by the intense wind currents, akin to confronting a storm head-on. Alexander growled, his voice loud and tense as he tightened his grip on the blade. The ball of black energy, which had begun to push back, was suddenly flung into the sky with a forceful thrust. Where it exploded like a bomb, Alexander''s gaze was fixed on the beast. As he confronted it, the beast tried to defend itself with its claws, but to no avail. His blade sliced through, and he thrust it into the flying beast''s chest, bringing it crashing to the ground. The earth shook violently, and dust filled the air, slowly settling to reveal the scene. There stood Alexander, atop the fallen beast, covered in blood, his eyes as cold as ever. [You killed a level 49 Ravenwing. You''ve gained 100,000 exp] [You have level up] [You have level up] [You have level up] [You have level up] The beast was then recorded in the ''3,378th Archive''. Alexander''s eyes were dull, as if he was on the verge of passing out at any moment. [Bloodlust Deactivated] [Berserker Instinct Deactivated] Notifications from the system appeared as the massive buffs within him began to wane. His eyes slowly reverted to their original hue as he knelt on one leg, his hand gripping the sword hilt that was impaled through the beast chest. "Is it over?" he muttered in a low voice as his consciousness clearly began to disappear. He collapsed, lying atop the beast''s body. This time, he had sustained numerous critical injuries, his legs was clearly broken to pieces, and his arms were numb and even some of it had some fractures even his stamina was fully depleted, leaving him utterly vulnerable. Observing his battered state, as if he had been mauled, all the villagers rushed to his aid. Aeloria, anxious at the sight of him looking as though he was on the brink of death, hurried over. The villagers lifted him carefully, easing him down to the ground. Witnessing his current state, Aeloria was overcome with tears as she embraced him. Anya wept too, fearing that her big brother was gone. One of the male villagers checked his pulse and sighed in relief, "Aeloria, stop crying he''s fine. He was just unconscious from exhausting himself during the battle. Let him rest for a while, and he will wake up in no time," the villager said as he tried to comfort the two. Although everyone was worried about him, since he had literally saved them all from doom, their attention was soon drawn elsewhere. As they gathered, the gem on the stone rock glowed ominously, making sounds of clear delight as it absorbed the soul of the Ravenwing. The blood that spurted throughout the area was absorbed as it seeped into the ground, providing nourishment. Just a reminder it was named blood gem, as its primary function is to absorb blood, with the soul being a secondary requirement. Suddenly, a bright light appeared, drawing everyone''s gaze in that direction. They witnessed a man clad in black clothing seize the radiant gem. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ha-ha-ha! Kid, I owe you my thanks. If not for you, this beast would have claimed this gem. Though it almost ruined my plan, thanks to your actions, the course of the plan is not ruined" he bellowed with all his might. Even from a distance, in the silence of the night, his voice could be heard clearly, making the villagers wary of the newcomer. Suddenly, a large shadow loomed behind him, it is a massive serpent that sent shivers down their spines. "Eat this," he said, tossing it into the air. As the serpent consumed the offering, it relished the taste and felt its strength surge like never before. Chapter 70 - 69 The scales that is white as a jewel changed to a large, red, serpentine creature with a fierce expression. Its body is covered in a thick, shaggy fur, and its long, sharp claws are visible. The serpent head is raised high, with its mouth open in a menacing snarl, revealing rows of sharp teeth. Its tongue is forked and flicks out from its mouth. The serpent eyes are bright and alert, giving it an intensely predatory appearance. The most distinctive feature of this snake is its skeletal-like, segmented body. It almost seems like its body is made of interlocking plates, giving it a mechanical, almost robotic look The most eye catching one is a gem that is red as blood was a top of it forehead. Feeling the strong power the man was very happy, finally it turns into a spirit beast. He was very excited, as his eyes turned cold with a smile glinting at his face. "Since you''ve helped me big this time, I will kill you painlessly while the villagers will serve as a nourishment for my beast," he muttered with a wide smile on his face. Hearing his voice, all of them were petrified, looking at the man that is walking towards them with the huge red snake besides him. They were all scared. Since the pressure it gives was nothing different than the Ravenwing. "So, are you going to hand him over to me or not?" he asked with a smile, gesturing for the villager to do so. Witnessing this, Aeloria became very anxious and hugged him tightly. Unbeknownst to them, Alexander''s injuries were gradually healing, yet his consciousness remained absent. Due to leveling up, his broken bones, damaged flesh, and every scratch were slowly mending. The villagers were gripped by fear, yet they couldn''t bear to surrender him to certain death. In that moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "If you want to take him, you''ll have to go through me first," he proclaimed, his tone imbued with unwavering resolve. The man was full of disdain seeing this. He smiled coldly with a playful expression on his face. "Very well then," he replied. Suddenly, a whistle came flying through the air. The man who was protecting Alex kneeled on the ground as it felt that his knees were pierced by something. The pain was so excruciating as the man growled in pain. "Can you say that again?" he said coldly, his face was already in full display, that made it even more frightening. The man gasped for air as he looked at him with a disgustful face, "You can kill me, but you will never take him alive," he said with a determined smile. "Ohh," he replied, as he motioned his fingers. Then the serpent hissed, swiftly slithering towards the man and opening its vast jaws. The man had no time to react before it swallowed him up to his waist. His screams were heard as the upper half of his body disappeared inside the creature. The onlookers retreated slightly, witnessing the horrifying spectacle before them. "See this piece of shit over here, if you want to defy my orders then you will become like him!" he pointed at the remaining half of its body. Upon witnessing such a scene, the villagers were understandably terrified, deeply shaken by the death of one of their own. They were at a loss for what to do, especially in the presence of the man before them, a warrior accompanied by an enormous snake. They were just a normal person with ordinary strength, how could they possibly retaliate? Suddenly, one of the villagers, a man, walked up. "Boss, actually you can go ahead and do whatever you want with him. But can you at least let me live? Sparing one person will not matter right?" The man begged. It is the same man who proposed to escape when the Ravenwing attacked. As his words spread, the villagers'' anger flared one after another. "Scott, you piece of garbage, will you really abandon our savior just to prolong your pathetic existence?" a man rebuked, grabbing Scott by the collar and hoisting him up. "It''s not my fault he offered to help. He should have accepted the outcome if he failed. Now, because of him, we''re all at risk of becoming nourishment for that beast," the man replied scornfully. Hearing his unreasonable words, the man grew even angrier and punched him in the face, causing him to stumble to the ground. "You''re a complete moron, aren''t you Scott? Can''t you see he''s the one who orchestrated this whole mess? Haven''t you got a single brain cell to rub together? Why do you think he showed up right when Alex, our hero, was out unconscious?" he snarled, his eyes blazing red as he glared down at the other man. "You''re so dense, Scott, you can''t even see what''s right in front of you?" a villager spat out, their voice dripping with disgust As they glared at the man who seemed to enjoy the spectacle. The man watching a riot before him would be more entertaining, far better than witnessing their terrified faces. Scott, the man deemed unreasonable, heard this and remained indifferent. How could he enjoy life if he didn''t take risks? "Dying a good person won''t help him at all. What''s the point of being good if he''s dead?" Scott''s voice out inside his mind. "Does it look like I care? Repay kindness if you wish to do so, but I want to live. Don''t tell me you all don''t want the same," Scott declared, his voice laden with aggression, feeling that no one was on his side. "Scott!" A woman''s voice cut through the simmering anger of the villagers, her voice was calm, and steady. "We all want to live, but we don''t want to live filled with guilt. We''re not like you, who repays gratitude with ingratitude. A person with the same mindset as you is better off dead than living." Aeloria''s words were icy blade, as her voice laced with a cold fury. She knew what he was going to do, and how he was planning to use Alex as a bargaining chip, and she wouldn''t stand for it. "Aeloria was right, Scott," the man who''d punched him said, his voice was thick with grief, "We''ll never give him up. If it weren''t for this man, our families, our friends, our entire village might have already died. We are living in harmony. But because of this human that is no different than a beast, our happy life is gone. Do you think living without my wife, ravaged by the beast attack, will give me any will to live?" he bellowed looking at the man clad in black suite, filled with anger. A young man in his twenties, also spoked up with a mix of anger and despair, "Uncle Nendo was right. I also lost my grandmother, the only reason I had to keep going. Now that I know who did this, dying wouldn''t be so bad... as long as I get my revenge. Even if I''m weak, it''s better than dying a coward." "Yeah, let''s get our revenge!" Nendo roared, his voice echoing through the square, a rallying cry that resonated with the villagers. "This man is no different from the beast!" Nendo continued. "Let''s kill him and avenge our families who were slaughtered for his amusement!" The villagers roared back, their voices were filled with anger, while their morals are soaring. "You guys, if I''m stupid, all of you are ignorant!" Scott said bitterly, as he retorted looking at them like a fool. "Are you all blind? Your way of thinking is even worse than mine!" he continued. "At least we''re not cowards, unlike a certain someone," Nendo said, his face twisted with pure disdain. Suddenly, a hearty laugh filled the area, causing them to look towards the source. It was none other than the man dressed in black. "HAhaha, you people are really no different than some brainless worm. Avenge? Avenge! Are you kidding me? What are you going to do, hit me till my face becomes swollen? Hahaha, you all are making me laugh," the man said with tears of joy sliding down his cheeks. Hearing his wild laughter, no one disturbed him. It continued for some time as he stopped and looked at them coldly, especially Aeloria. "You know little lady, I have been eyeing you for a long time. You will be a good furnace for me, to let out my frustrations. Even if you are back in the empire, your charm is comparable to those girls from noble background" he said looking at her body lustfully. He really wanted to ravage her a long time ago, but he was stopped by his brother and told him he can do whatever he wants after the mission was complete. Now that his brother is dead and he was the only one remaining, he decided to make his own family using this woman in front of her. He was sexually frustrated by how charming this girl in front of her is. Seeing his intense gaze, Aeloria stepped back, going towards Alexander''s side. Who seems to still be unconscious, as she looked at the man in front of her in a fright. The villagers were angry at this. Nendo, whose face contorted in anger, clenched his fist. He will not let anything happen to Aeloria, especially when he heard the word "furnace!" If she was caught, her fate would be pure despair, and will suffer the same fate as Anya''s mother. So, no matter what, he will stop the man in front of him. "Hey you, do you want to live right? Hurry up and bring that girl to me, then I''ll spare your life," the man instructed. Scott, upon hearing this, felt a surge of happiness glimpsing at the final opportunity for survival. "Yes, boss, allow this servant to fulfill your wishes," he said, rising from the ground and giving Aeloria a sinister smile. "Scott, if you want to catch Aeloria, you have to pass me first," Nendo spoke, looking at him coldly. Scott snorted and quickly dashed toward his opponent. In haste, he threw a punch, but Nendo countered with a hand block. Following up, Nendo delivered a clean strike with his other hand, landing a hit on Scott''s face. His face was struck with such force that his teeth were knocked out, a testament to Nendo''s strength as a hunter. Scott tumbled backward, rolling on the ground, his face was ashen. "Useless," the man clad in a black suit said, while spitting on Scott''s face who was lying on the ground in front of him. The man then shook his hand and a thin needle appeared. He then threw it slightly as it whistled through the air. Seeing his sudden movement, Nendo had no time to dodge or defend from the attack, since it was aimed at the centerline of his two eyes. Suddenly, a small pebble also flew out, deflecting the flying needle. It created a small spark from the collision, then a voice behind all of them was heard. "Do you think I''ll simply stand by and watch?" the young man said coldly, his lips curving into a playful smile. Chapter 71 - 70 Looking back, the villagers were stunned by the familiar voice. Looking at the person, they were very happy to see who it was. Aeloria just shifted her head and saw who it was. Anya, seeing that Alexander was awake, hugged him on his legs since she was not tall enough. "Big brother Alex, you''re fine," she said, looking up with a bright smile. "Hahaha, of course I''m fine. Do you really think I would be defeated by a flying beast?" he replied coolly. Aeloria also hugged him from the other side, with tears sliding down her cheeks, "I thought you were going to die," she sobbed, filled with heart-wrenching pain. Alexander felt warm for the moment and just patted her back to comfort her, "Losing is not in my vocabulary," he muttered in a heavy tone. Actually, he would have lost if the Ravenwing had not summoned those small flying creatures to plague him to death. Because of that, his strength increased so much because of the Infernal Fury unique passive, making him powerful enough to confront it head-on. He would have been defeated from the start if the Ravenwing had simply struck him with its tail. However, due to its arrogance and toying with him, he emerged victorious from the battle. The man clad in a black suit saw that the kid was now fully awakened. He was greatly surprised, but sneered, not afraid at all. With the serpent fully absorbing the blood gem, he had nothing to worry about. Since his pet had finally turned into a spirit beast. "You''re actually pretending to be unconscious. Let me help in putting you into sleep for a lifetime," he said with a cruel smile. "Ohh! Is the beating that I have given you a few days ago, is still not good enough for you to act tough in front of me?" he said with a playful tone. He didn''t deny his statement about pretending to be unconscious. Thanks to leveling up, his injuries were 80% healed. He had just regained consciousness when Nendo punched Scott in the face, prompting him to stay under the radar for a bit longer to observe if there were any other ungrateful villagers. From his observation for a while, all of them except the guy named Scott wants to protect him. So when the man in a black suit threw a needle towards the man named Nendo, he hurriedly took action to avoid deaths since some villagers'' lives were already lost. Alexander then looked from side to side and did not find his accomplice, "Where is your companion? Don''t tell me you are planning for some sneak attack," he asked while raising an eyebrow. "Sneak attack? Haha, kid, you''re making me laugh. You''re not worth the effort of such a despicable act. A few days ago, I might have considered it, but not anymore," he stated. While sneak attacks are an assassin''s greatest weapon, they are not truly despicable since the results are what matter, not the actions. "If you''re looking for my brother, he won''t be attending this event anymore, because he''s dead," he said with a cruel smile, followed by a hearty laugh. Seeing the expression on his face mentioning his other accomplice, which seems to be his brother, Alexander already connected the dots that he killed his one and only brother. He had no idea, but he was happy since less enemy meant less trouble. It''s a win for him. "If you really think that this snake can kill me, then you are wrong," he said, pointing at the snake. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He can feel the power of the serpent in front of him. The power it''s radiating seems to be greater than the Ravenwing he had defeated. When he killed the beast which was called Ravenwing, it was actually level 49, clearly not a spirit beast yet. But now the snake in front of him must be level 50, which had already become a spirit beast that has the mind of a normal person. But he was confident after leveling up, his strength soared to new heights. [Status Experience: 13,000/25,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 14 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 24 Strength: 117 Speed: 72 Agility: 71 Dexterity: 56 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 76 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] "Aeloria, go and take care of Anya for me okay. Stay away from this place as far as possible," he said to her as he slowly let go from her embrace. Aeloria could only look at him with great sadness in her face. She was really a burden and could only watch without any way to help at all. Hearing his instruction, she took Anya''s hands, holding them tightly. "Leave Anya to me since I''m her big sister. Nothing will happen to her," she muttered. Alexander just smiled at this as he looked at the man named Nendo who was looking at him. He approached slowly, resting his hands on the other''s shoulders, "I entrust the safety of the villagers to you," he said, assigning him the mission. Nendo nodded resolutely, "Are you able to take on both of them? If not, I''m prepared to sacrifice myself to give you time," he offered, showing no fear of death. Alexander was stunned and astonished by the man''s high resolve, he seemed willing to die just to provide him with a chance to escape. "Don''t worry, I can handle this problem. Leave the rest to me," he said, growing increasingly fond of the man, who appeared to be the junior in their interaction, while he took on the senior role. Alexander then motioned him to retreat with the villagers while he stayed behind, since the battle is going to be much more devastating from here on out. Nendo nodded as he evacuated all of the villagers. Aeloria also followed the order with Anya beside her. "Kid, do you think I''ll let you do that? Little snake, go and make a rampage," he ordered, aloud. As if being removed by the shackles, the red serpent was excited to test its power and also to eat the humans in front of him that will be served as his nourishment, for his new power. The speed was fast that it propelled the gust of air in its wake. Alexander acted swiftly, intervening before it could reach the elders. He halted its advance by deflecting it with a kick next to his body. The collision between his foot and the snake''s hardened scales emitted a loud, metallic clang as the large serpent tumbled away. As Alexander stood motionless, sweat streaming down his face, he thought to himself in sheer agony, "Damn, my feet feel like they''ve slammed into a wall of tungsten," but he kept a straight face. While the villagers looked on, realizing they were out of danger, they hurriedly continued their journey. The man was not idle either, he released three to four needles with some purple liquid on the tip of it. Clearly, it was equipped with poison, aiming for the villagers. Alexander just snickered at this and just picked up some rocks on the ground. Shew It soared like a bullet, yet three times swifter, intercepting the attack. Realizing his assault had been thwarted, he quickly advanced towards Alexander for a direct confrontation, his newfound strength from leveling up fueling his confidence that he and the youngster were closely matched. The serpent also got up from the ground without any injury at all. It didn''t look at Alexander as it rushed towards the escaping villagers. Alexander, who was about to move, was stopped by the man, making him sneer. Seeing his expression, he was angered as he took out the dagger and tried to thrust it and stab him in the chest. He raised his leg and unleashed a kick that made the wind howl furiously. It struck with such speed that the man''s chest was hit with devastating force, causing him to feel as though his bones were shattered and to vomit blood while staring at Alexander in disbelief. "How come you''re still so powerful? Even though my strength has soared to the next level, why is the gap so vast?" he lamented, collapsing to the ground with a pale face as he gazed up at Alexander. The disparity was so immense that he felt like an insect in comparison. Alexander, manifesting a sword in his right hand, remained silent. His expression turned grave as he activated his skill. [Berserker Instinct] [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 10%.] Then he disappeared in plain sight as he appeared behind the red serpent who was in close proximity to the villagers, who were looking at the impending doom that was about to befall upon them. Alexander attempted to stab the creature in the back, but its scales were too tough, inflicting only minor damage akin to the annoyance of a needle prick. The beast halted and fixed an angry glare on Alexander. "You ungrateful serpent, your master is already grievously wounded, and yet you seek to devour those wretches for pleasure. Make haste, and exact my revenge," the man exclaimed, his eyes aflame with rage and the veins on his forehead standing out starkly. The serpent was taken aback, giving him a bewildered look. "Wasn''t this your idea to begin with? Why the sudden blame game?" it thought to itself. Despite its inner protest, it remained silent, after all, its life dangled on the whims of that very person. So, he could only channel his anger towards Alexander. Filled with fury and madness, he charged at him violently. Alexander prepared himself, aware that the true battle was about to begin. Chapter 72 - 71 As Alexander prepared himself, he had only moments to react as it lunged toward him, its mouth wide open, revealing rows of fangs dripping with a viscous, purple venom. Alexander dodged to the side just as the creature''s jaws snapped shut, its teeth sinking into the earth with enough force to leave deep furrows. "That strong?" he muttered, looking at the ground. He steadied his breath, realizing that this battle would be unlike any he had faced before. The beast''s power had surged, making it a formidable opponent for him. He understood that luck was fleeting, and he needed to rely on his wits, even though he wasn''t considered smart. With a determined look, he resolved to tap into his full potential to ensure his victory. As he tried to anticipate the serpent''s next move, a faint shimmer appeared around the blood-red gem on its forehead. The serpent''s gaze burned with fury, and before Alexander had time to react, it opened its jaws and unleashed a stream of venom. The sinister fluid arced through the air, sizzling as it splashed onto the ground, eating away at everything it touched. Alexander leaped back, narrowly avoiding the acidic spray. The venom sizzled as it devoured the earth beneath it, leaving blackened craters in its wake. "So, it can use poison," Alexander muttered. [What do you think? Isn''t it called a Serpent in the first place?] The system spoke, but he did not hear its sarcasm, as it would be dangerous if he did not focus on his opponent. He needed to attack, but the serpent was faster, more agile, and frighteningly resilient. Its scales is even tougher than metal, it seems comparable to the Ravenwing. The serpent coiled back, its eyes narrowing as it assessed Alexander. With a sudden, serpentine flick, it whipped its tail toward him. Alexander uses the blade of the sword up in a defensive stance, but the force of the blow sent him skidding backward, his feet digging trenches into the ground. His chest burned, and he could feel the bruises forming where the tail had struck. But it did not stop their, it continued to attack him. Alexander dodged left and right, slipping past the serpent''s strikes with fluid, movements of his own. He closed the distance and brought his blade down against its scales, aiming for the weak points he thought he''d observed. But each strike felt like hitting stones his blade skittered off its reinforced, segmented scales, leaving only shallow scratches. "Hahaha, young man, it''s futile. My pet over there has already overcome its bottleneck; it has already transformed into a spirit beast. You''ll need to do more than that if you wish to win," he taunted, as he erupted in a wild laughter. The serpent snarled in reply, its patience thinning. The gem on its forehead gleamed once more, and suddenly, the serpent''s body seemed to blur. It split into multiple shadowy forms, each slithering in a different direction. Alexander''s eyes widened as he found himself surrounded by its duplicates, each one seeming as real as the original. A glint of venom dripped from their fangs, and he realized he was running out of time. "Not bad," Alexander grunted, forcing a grin despite his predicament. "But I''m not finished yet." He took a deep breath, centering himself, and activated his skill even more. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 20%.] His muscles surged with energy, and his senses sharpened as his power increased by twenty percent. With the increased in power, he aimed at the nearest duplicate, slashing through it with a swift, precise cut. It vanished in a puff of dark mist. Another swung its tail at him, and he countered with a forceful kick, dispersing it into nothingness. But for each shadow he struck down, two more seemed to take its place. The serpent watched him from a distance, clearly savoring his struggle. Its forked tongue flicked out in mocking disdain. In a split-second decision, Alexander lunged at the original, aiming for the blood gem. His sword connected¡ªbut only for a moment. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The serpent reared back, absorbing the blow with its thick scales. Angered, it unleashed a powerful blast of venom, aiming directly at Alexander. Caught off guard, he dodged but couldn''t evade it entirely, the venom splattered across his left arm, searing his skin with a white-hot agony. Gritting his teeth, Alexander forced himself to ignore the pain, his focus locked on the serpent. He couldn''t let it win. Not here, not now. [Berserker Instinct: Power increased by 30%.] The serpent lunged, with its fangs bared. In a final, desperate maneuver, Alexander ducked and twisted, grappling onto the serpent''s massive body. He coiled himself around it, to gain control. The beast thrashed wildly, but Alexander held firmly, tightening his grip until he could feel the resistance in its muscles. Seeing his opportunity, he summoned his remaining strength and raised his sword, plunging it into a gap between the serpent''s scales near its neck. But before he could act, the snake began to thrash wildly. His grip gradually weakened until, with a groan of pain, he was catapulted into the sky. "I''m so close," he muttered, sliding across the ground on his back as he landed. He slowly stands up but the injury in his arms caused by the venom is so excruciatingly painful. "Young man, you will not last long anymore. Struggling is useless" The man clad in black suite laugh, as he stood up in the ground watching the show in amusement. "If you have the ability to fight me, why don''t you try" he taunted, towards the black man. The man sneered, looking at him like a fool, "I''m not that naive. You''re quite young, yet you''ve achieved so much. Give it a few more years, and you might become someone capable of overpowering any sect or organization." He pursed his lips, his eyes glinting with a murderous aura. "Too bad you''ve encountered me. Hey, you little pest, hurry up and do your job. Stop dozing off," he commanded. The serpent was a little angry being called like that, but it had no choice since his life was also in the line. Alexander braced himself yet again, sensing the aura emanating from the creature was far stronger than before. With another quick movement, the serpent lunged forward, with jaws open wide, emitting a low hiss. Its mouth exuded a noxious purple mist, a telltale sign of venom far more potent than its previous abilities. Alexander narrowly dodged, feeling the edges of the mist as it scorched the ground where he had just been standing. He could see the poisonous residue eating through the dirt, leaving a blackened patch in its wake. "Don''t tell me this is its full strength?" Alexander murmured, eyeing the enhanced poison. It was so potent and toxic that even the earth began to disintegrate. Gathering his strength, Alexander swung his sword in a wide arc, targeting the serpent''s vulnerable neck. But his momentum was a bit weak since his arms was damaged, thanks to his skill [Berserker Instinct] the pain was relieved a little. But his speed was slowed down, even though he can handle the pain his body can''t handle the damages. The blade struck, but instead of the expected deep wound, it barely grazed the creature''s scales, leaving only a faint scratch. Alexander''s brows knitted in frustration. "Hahaha, kid this is over. You can see that you are nearing your end. Surrender and I might consider in sparing your life" The man said aloud filled with laughter. The serpent didn''t give him time to regroup. Its massive tail whipped around with frightening speed, striking Alexander squarely in the side. He flew back, his body hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Pain radiated through his ribs as he staggered to his feet, quickly regaining his footing. He looked at his skill and saw that [Bloodlust] is still in cooldown. [Bloodlust: Cooldown 1hour/ 9 minutes remaining] If this beast could summon small creatures to strengthen to play with me. That would put me to advantage, but it appears this is not an ability of the large serpent. With a low growl, the serpent pressed forward, slithering across the ground with surprising speed for a creature of its size. It lashed out with its claws, and Alexander was forced to deflect each swipe with his blade, each parry jarring his arms and forcing him back step by step. The serpent was relentless, its mouth snapping and claws slashing in a vicious flurry. The combined assault left Alexander with barely enough time to breathe, let alone counterattack. With no choice but to rely on pure grit, Alexander gripped his sword tightly, his body aching with every step. The serpent''s strikes grew more relentless, forcing him to parry and dodge. He could feel himself reaching his breaking point. The distant cries of villagers caught his attention. He glanced back, catching sight of the last of them disappearing into the forest, as he peeks through the trees. They had escaped. Relief flickered in his chest, but it was quickly overshadowed by the serpent''s onslaught. The serpent coiled, its muscles tensing as it prepared one final, deadly strike. Alexander braced himself, struggling to keep his stance firm despite the exhaustion clawing at him. "Are you ready to die, boy?" the man taunted, his voice dripping with malice. With a final, defiant glare, Alexander raised his sword, prepared to give everything he had left. As the serpent lunged, he met it head-on, his blade clashing with its fangs, his roar echoing through the battlefield as they collided in a final, desperate struggle. Chapter 73 - 72 As the forces clashed, Alexander, clearly outmatched in strength, as he spat blood midair as he was hurled backward, crashing into the ground with a loud thud that created a small crater upon impact. "Heh, I''m really no match for it," Alexander said with a smile, his last bit of strength already seeping away. "I should really try to work hard more, rather than relying on my system for skills and powerups," he mumbled inwardly, feeling hopeless in this situation. [It''s not entirely hopeless Host, if you target the red gem on its forehead, you might prevail, although the odds of winning are very slim.] The system''s voice reached him, and upon hearing it, his eyes, once dull and devoid of hope, became resolute. If he were to surrender now, would it not mean that facing any stronger opponent in the future, he would simply yield in defeat? That was not what he desires, he had to fight. Then his willpower to fight returned igniting his heart to continue on, he knows that if he died right now this beast and the man will chase the villagers. As Alexander lay in the shallow crater, bruised and bloodied, his vision swam with each agonizing heartbeat. Despite his pain, a spark of determination blazed within him. He wouldn''t let this monster slaughter the villagers. He couldn''t give in now. "System," he muttered through gritted teeth, "put all my free points into speed." In an instant, he felt his muscles tighten and his body grow lighter, the familiar sensation of newfound power coursing through him. His speed surged, making him feel almost weightless in comparison to his earlier state. [Status Updated: Speed: 86] The reason he choses speed rather than strength, if he can''t land a critical hit then strength would be more useless if he can''t fight it head on. The serpent, sensing his willpower to fight, let out a hiss that reverberated through the air, its crimson gem glowing with a menacing light. It wasn''t going to make this easy for him. Alexander stood, drawing on every ounce of his willpower as he held his sword, Infernal Fury, firmly in hand. The blade trembled as he steadied his grip, his knuckles turned white with the effort. With a furious lunge, the serpent lashed its tail at him, each strike a blur of speed and ferocity. Alexander dodged midway, with his enhaned speed allowing him to evade its attacks with narrow margins. Still, he wasn''t fast enough to land a hit on its forehead, the serpent was relentlessly guarding its vulnerable spot. But he was patient. He darted to the side, narrowly escaping a tail swipe, then slashed toward its flank. The serpent twisted, meeting him with a ferocious bite that forced him back. Alexander grunted, his heart racing as he assessed the situation. "I need to weaken it, even if its only a little. If I want to get a good shot at the red gem on its forehead." he uttered, in a heavy breathed. He launched himself forward, zigzagging unpredictably, his blade flashing in a deadly arc. He aimed for the creature''s neck, and as he made contact, sparks flew, but the scales absorbed most of the impact. The serpent retaliated immediately, swiping him with its claws. Alexander was barely able to block the hit, stumbling back from the force. "Damn, did I choose wrongly in putting my free points?" he muttered, his grip tightening. The serpent lunged forward, its gaping mouth dripping with venom. Alexander rolled beneath it, narrowly avoiding the venom as it splattered behind him, hissing upon contact with the ground. But he wasn''t done yet. As the serpent twisted, Alexander saw his chance, its head was momentarily lowered, exposing the faint, pulsing glow of the blood gem. This was his opening. "Bloodlust" he shouted, activating his skill, now that it''s finally cooldown. [Bloodlust: As the wielder''s desire for battle intensifies, Bloodlust heightens the Host''s senses and reflexes, increasing strength and speed by 60%. Prolonged use diminishes clarity and control, potentially leading to a berserk state.] A surge of raw power tore through him, his muscles rippling as his speed and strength soared. His vision sharpened to a razor''s edge, and his breathing became shallow and rapid as the thrill of battle overtook him. He could feel himself staggering on the brink, but he pushed it aside. This was his only shot. With the increased in power, he moved in a blur, closing the distance between himself and the serpent before it had time to react. He lunged, aiming straight for the blood-red gem. The serpent reared back, but he was faster, slicing his sword across the gem''s surface. The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, and he saw a hairline crack form in the gem. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The serpent screeched in agony, thrashing violently, its body twisting in pain. But its rage only grew. With renewed fury, it lashed out, its movements now even more aggressive. It whipped its tail toward him, but Alexander, now boosted by [Bloodlust], dodged it easily, landing a clean hit along its neck. For a moment, he felt invincible, his senses so heightened that he could see every move, anticipate every attack. But as [Bloodlust] took hold, he felt his control slipping. He had to finish this quickly or risk losing himself to the berserk state. After all, the Berserker''s instinct had reached its maximum, and he had used his two skills continuously. Even with the aid of his skill, [Heart of Stone], it proved to be useless right now. He forced himself to focus, locking onto the gem. His vision narrowed, the serpent''s furious thrashing fading into the background as his target filled his mind. He darted forward, deflecting another strike from its tail and slashing toward its head. His blade met with resistance as he struck the gem again, chipping away at its surface. The serpent roared, and with a speed that matched his own, it lunged, its jaws wide open. Alexander was almost caught off guard, his mind clouded by the effects of Bloodlust, but he managed to twist out of the way at the last second. He retaliated with a brutal downward slash, driving his blade into the gem one final time with all his might. The gem shattered with a resounding crack, pieces of it scattering like shards of glass. The serpent let out an ear-splitting scream, its body convulsing as it writhed in agony. A dark mist poured from the fractured gem, and its crimson glow faded into a dull, lifeless gray. The beast staggered back, weakened and disoriented, its strength sapped by the destruction of its power source. Alexander stumbled, from the effects of two skills leaving him drained, his body is heavy and aching. Since he was already severely injured in the first place, engaging in combat with another beast of the same caliber as the Ravenwing he had defeated would be courting death. If there been no weakness at all, the beastly snake would have triumphed, leaving no opportunity for victory. Fortunately, it appears to have gained strength from external factors, and upon its destruction, victory was secured. His vision swam as he fought to stay upright, but he knew he couldn''t falter. This was his moment to end it. Gathering his remaining strength, he raised his sword and charged at the serpent one last time. With a powerful swing, he drove his blade deep into the beast''s skull, piercing through the broken gem and ending its torment. The serpent''s body fell limp, collapsing to the ground with a thud that echoed through the forest. It was still breathing, so Alexander chose not to pursue it, knowing that it was nearing its end. Alexander stood over it, panting, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. Blood dripped from his wounds, his clothes torn and battered, but he had done it. The villagers were safe from now on. As he looked around, he saw the villagers did not actually ran but stay behind into the dense trees, their faces peering back with a mix of awe and gratitude. He could see Aeloria''s relieved smile and Anya''s joyful face looking at him; even though his vision was blurry, he could perceive them clearly for reasons unknown to him. Even Nendo, the man, was brimming with smiles upon seeing his grin. Alexander gave them a nod, with a smile in his own. He doesn''t want to show his vulnerability towards them. He had fought and won, but at a cost that left him weary beyond words. hissed He collapsed to one knee, his sword slipping from his grasp. The battle had been grueling, and as the adrenaline faded, the full weight of his injuries sank in. But a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had survived, and so had they. [Bloodlust Deactivated] [Berserker Instinct Deactivated] Somewhere nearby, the man in black seethed, watching his prized beast fall. But he knew this wasn''t the end. Aeloria, witnessing her victory, was overjoyed as she emerged from the forest and ran towards him. Anya and the rest of the villagers also ran to join in the celebration. "Alex, you did it!" Aeloria exclaimed, tears streaming down her smiling face. "Big brother Alex is cool," Anya said, jumping and running towards him. The villagers were also very happy as they ran towards the battlefield. Alex, hearing their voices, looked at them with a slight smile on his face, with only one eye open. He was so tired from the fight, yet as they ran, their faces were filled with happiness. Suddenly, it turned grim. Aeloria, witnessing this, looked on, filled with sorrow. "Alex, look out!" she shouted, her voice trailing off. Alexander, hearing this, was too late to react as a dagger stabbed him in the back. The blade pierced his back, making its tip visible in his chest. His eyes turned dark as he puked a lot of blood. Shifting his head, he saw the culprit; it was the man clad in a black suit. "Young man, you have ruined my future. That''s my way to become famous throughout the world, now I''ll take your life, in return" he said full of killing intent with his eyes burning in rage. "I almost forgot about you!" Alexander said coldly, as his clarity returned and held the man in the neck carrying him up. The speed was so overwhelming that the man was left stunned, unable to move or dodge in any way. The one he was using is his injured arm that was hit by venom. His tone was deadly as he increased his grip. "You asshole, let go!" The man was terrified. He had thought that he had already used up all his energy, but that seems to not be the case at all. The dagger in his hands continuously slashed, stabbed, and swiped in his front body. Alexander gazed upon the scene with calmness as blood dripped from his body and mouth. "This is the end," he muttered. With the increased pressure, the man''s face turned violet as he dropped the dagger and lay lifelessly in his hands. [You killed a level 29 Human. You''ve gained 10,000 exp.] He let go, and its body fell lifelessly to the ground. Alexander''s injury turned even more critical as he was losing lots of blood. Not only had he been afflicted with the same poison as the brother of the man he had slain. But he was also struck by the venom of a snake that was now mingling within his bloodstream. He fell to the ground heavily as he passed out. Chapter 74 - 73 As Alexander collapsed, the villagers quickly surrounded him where he lay on the ground. Aeloria grasped his hands, staring at the gruesome scene, uncertain whether he was still alive. "Alex! Please wake up, don''t die," she pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. Her voice trembled, but she refrained from hugging him, fearing she might worsen his injuries, as she saw the cut flesh and the copious blood gushing out. Alexander''s face grew increasingly pale at this sight, his breathing becoming shallower with each passing moment. "Big brother Alex, don''t die, big brother," Anya exclaimed, looking at Alexander who was slowly dying. Having lost both her mother and father, the thought of losing another loved one was unbearable for her. "Aeloria, this..." Nendo sighed, feeling his pulse weakening by the second. The villagers, seeing this scene, were filled with sadness. They knew that their young hero was in death''s hands right now. His injuries were greatly impossible for a person to stay alive at this pace. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their chins trembled as they tried to hold back their emotions. Suddenly, the system popped up a notification while he was out. [Congratulations to the Host for acquiring the new skill, ''Toxin Nullifier.''] [The human body has developed mechanisms to halt the spread of toxins that have entered the bloodstream and are on their way to vital organs such as the heart and brain. These include the liver and kidneys, which evolved in order to filter and expel harmful substances.] [Skill: Toxin Nullifier: This skill will grant the user complete immunity to all forms of toxins and poisons. By enhancing the body''s natural defenses, the user can effectively neutralize any harmful substances before they cause damage to the body. Whether faced with venomous bites, toxic plants, or poisonous substances, the user remains entirely unaffected. This skill also boosts the user''s natural recovery process by 10% for 1 minute, allowing them to heal quickly from any previous exposure to toxins.] Suddenly, the poison coursing through his bloodstream halted, as if cleansed from within. Due to the skill''s unique passive, his recovery rate has increased by 10 percent, which is highly beneficial in his current state. [You killed a level 49 Bloodscale Serpent. You''ve gained 150,000 exp] [You have level up] [You have level up] [You have level up] [You have level up] ... The system sounded in his ears, which he did not hear of course. With the level up, his wounds were healed much faster, increasing the recovery process. It patched his wound slowly, and his hands were returning back slow and steady, while the broken bone in his ribs slowly began to heal. "The young warrior is living!" exclaimed one of the villagers, looking at Alexander''s face starting to become more lively. Upon hearing this, Aeloria quickly glanced at Alexander and noticed his face looked alright. Observing his wounds that appeared to be healing, she couldn''t help but burst into tears of joy. "Big sister, big brother is alive," Anya said, holding back her tears as her nose ran. "Uncle Nendo, can you check Alex if he was really, okay?" Aeloria said in a haste. Nendo, who was looking at this filled with astonishment, and was woken up from his daze. He nodded and hurriedly checked his pulse and yes, he could feel his pulse pumping with vitality. "He''s fine now. He will not die," he said with a relieved smile on his face. Hearing this, the villagers cheered in excitement as they looked at Alexander their great hero was actually still alive. "Let''s take him back and put him in the bed to rest. He still needs time to recover," Nendo spoke. All of them nodded their heads from this advice. He then carried Alexander in his arms as they began to walk back towards the village. Some men were left behind and looked at the culprit who caused the destruction for their village. "I can finally avenge my family," The man said, stepping and kicking at the dead man. "You piece of worthless scum. People like you need to disappear from this world," another man added as his feet targeted the face. The skin of the man clad in black suit was tough, clearly because of his cultivation level. When they saw this, their eyes glowed with anger. "Isn''t he already dead? He won''t even feel any slight of pain at all," the last man said to the two, not joining in on the fun. "Saiki, you will not understand. Your mother is still alive and kicking, while our loved ones were gone. Even if he''s dead, I''ll make sure his body will be worse than shit," The man said, as he took a rock and smashed it into his head. But it only caused a red bump, "The fuck! Does every warrior''s skin are made of iron? Fuck this," he said as he threw the rock. There was no damage at all. "Brother, here this is the dagger that was used to stab our young savior," the other man said, passing it to him. "Ohh," he took it fast as he stabbed the man. When the blade pierced the skin, his eyes turned bloodthirsty as he cut it from pieces to pieces. "Sheww," he sighed, as his hands filled with blood, with his clothes fully draped. "Now I feel good, let''s hurry up and clean up this place. It looks like it became a deserted forest from their battle" The man said throwing the dagger in his hands. They surveyed the battlefield, which now resembled a vast disaster zone. Trees lay scattered, the ground was caving in, riddled with spiderweb-like cracks, and craters pockmarked the landscape from place to place. The small flying creatures were also present everywhere, with their blood in places a collective sigh came out knowing that another round of cleaning is going to commence. "That''s kinda cool though, the way the young warrior fought the Ravenwing and then this big serpent," he said as he pointed at the big serpent. "It''s quite astonishing that he''s still alive after fighting two beasts one after the other," said the man, who was the same one who had attempted to stop the pair. Hearing what he said, the man who was filled with blood narrowed his eyes angrily. "Why are you wishing for our young savior to die!" he bellowed. The man hurriedly shake his hands and replied, "That''s not what I meant, its just that I''m shocked to see how a real battle looks like" he explained darting his eyes around. The two did not say anything but were also awe-stricken. It is clearly out of the scope for an ordinary battle between normal people. "Well, this is the life of a warrior. We ordinary people can only admire and aspire to it. As I look up to that young kid, I won''t regret a single thing," said the man with a beautiful smile, tears streaming down his face as he remembered his child, her wife, and his mother. The other man, seeing him cry, the emotion welling up inside him burst out like a strong wave, remembering his aunt, who was his only family left in this world, but sadly, she was ravaged by the beast. The man could look at the two expressions and sighed. He was very lucky that his family was safe, but he didn''t feel happy since the others were sad. "Let''s stop this shininigans and clean up this place. Crying feels we have become gay all of a sudden," muttered by the man with a laugh. "Haha, tell that to Saiki over there. He looks gay to me even though he did not cry," the other man said, bursting into laughter. Hearing the two, his face darkened all of a sudden and he snorted in reply. "Who says I''m gay?" Hearing this the two pursed their lips and replied in unison, "Then who''s gay?" with a narrowed eye. Seeing the two ganging up on him, Saiki just rolled his eyes as he decided to go and start the cleaning up. "Hmphh, I will not care about you two," he said. Although it was already night, they chose to tackle the task immediately instead of postponing it to the next day, in order to reduce the workload. Seeing his angry expression, the two smiled and didn''t say anything as they cleaned the place. The rest of the villagers also got back to the three and helped in cleaning up. Alexander was then carried to Grandma May''s house, as he was placed in the bed by Nendo. "Aeloria, she''s yours to take care of. You should clean him since it will be too uncomfortable to sleep like that," Nendo said with a knowing smile on his face. Aeloria, gazing at Alexander with concern, heard the teasing and felt her face flush with redness as she shyly glanced aside. "HAhahaaha!" Nendo broke out in laughter as he left the room. Anya was also in there, looking at her big brother Alex. "Umm, Anya, can you go out for the moment? I will have to take care of your big brother Alex for a while," she said. Her cheeks were red as a tomato. "Why should Anya leave, big sister?" Anya said, narrowing her eyes, not liking her decisions. Seeing that she wasn''t very cooperative, Aeloria narrowed her eyes and scolded the little child. "It''s because I said so, Anya. Hurry up and go out since this job is only for grown-ups," she said, crossing her arms. Anya was angry from this, as she puffed her cheeks cutely. The little gecko who was in her arms was squeezed tightly, looking at her. Gecko: What did I do! She then departed, leaving Aeloria alone in the room. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned hot, prompting her to bring a bucket of water inside, along with a towel soaked in water. Chapter 75 - 74 [Warning 18+] As she held the damp towel in her hands, Aerloria carefully removed Alexander''s torn shirt, her face turning a deep shade of red with embarrassment. Her slender fingers trembled as she gently slid the shredded fabric off his shoulders, revealing the cuts and bruises scattered across his skin. To her astonishment, many of his injuries were already beginning to heal. Even the stab wounds and deeper cuts seemed to be mending before her eyes. This sight left her momentarily speechless, she had never witnessed such a remarkable healing ability in a human before. Yet, knowing he was a warrior, she pushed her amazement aside, focusing on the task at hand. With her hands still shaking slightly, Aerloria pressed the cool towel gently against his chest, her fingertips just barely grazing his skin. The warmth radiating from his body only deepened the flush in her cheeks, and she found herself sneaking a closer glance at him. As Aerloria continued, her fingertips traced over faint scars and healing wounds across his torso all the way to the other parts, each mark a trophy of the battles he had survived. Her heart raced with every touch, feeling the subtle twitch of his muscles beneath her hands, as though his body remained vigilant even in sleep, only now beginning to relax under her careful attention. Pausing, she dipped the cloth into the bucket of warm water, wringing it out as her hands trembled ever so slightly. She returned the towel to his shoulder, gently wiping away remnants of dried blood and dirt, following the lines of his collarbone down to his chest. Each movement revealed more of his form, stirring her awe, and a hint of intimidation. Even in this vulnerable state, his presence was commanding. Her cheeks burned as a stray thought crossed her mind. She shook it away, mumbling, "Aerloria, focus. This is for Alex¡­ don''t think of anything else inappropriate." she said in a mosquito voice. Yet, despite her resolve, she couldn''t deny the quickening of her heart or the warmth that spread across her face. Her sleeve brushed against his skin, sending a shiver up her arm, and she bit her lip, trying to steady her breathing, surprised by how deeply she felt this quiet, intimate moment. With each stroke of the towel, she was careful to avoid pressing too hard, not wanting to disturb his rest, yet the closeness stirred something unexpected within her. The mere proximity to him felt intense, almost electric. As she worked her way lower, her fingers grazed a particularly nasty bruise along his ribcage, and she winced. "You must have taken quite the hit," she whispered, almost as if confessing her thoughts aloud would ease her embarrassment. But she knew he couldn''t hear her, and in a strange way, that made it easier to pour her concern into every gentle touch. Her gaze drifted upward again, studying his face in the dim light. In sleep, he looked almost peaceful, though his brow furrowed slightly. She brushed a stray lock of hair away from his forehead, her hand lingering a moment too long before she pulled it back, her cheeks aflame. Continuing her work, she cleaned his arms, moving down each one with the same meticulous care, pausing at each small cut or scrape. Every touch, every movement felt both intimate and hot, and she had to remind herself to breathe, to stay focused. Yet, she couldn''t ignore the strange fluttering in her chest, the sensation of being so close to someone who had risked so much to protect others. By the time she finished, her face was as red as the morning sun, her pulse still racing. "Now it''s time for the bottom part," Aeloria said, feeling bashful, her voice as sheepish as it could be. The woman''s slender fingers trembled as she reached for his pants. Her eyes darted nervously. As she slid her hand down, she gasped at the sight of Alex''s family jewels, her breath catching in her throat. Her movements became hesitant as she removed his pants, tossing them onto the bed. Alex stood naked before her. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why is it so big?" she whispered, covering her eyes with her arms. But she couldn''t resist peeking as she slid her finger slightly open. She slapped her cheeks, trying to regain her composure. "Aeloria, focus," she admonished herself. "Stop having such weird thoughts." she finished. Yet, when she leaned in, she couldn''t help but flinch. Closing her eyes, she ran the wet towel from Alexander''s navel down to his hips. Aerloria kept her eyes squeezed shut, too embarrassed to look down at Alexander as she continued her task. She knew that if she did, she''d be faced with more than she was prepared to see, a thought that made her entire body shiver. A stray, forbidden thought crossed her mind, making her hot, "What would it feel like if it enter inside me?" she subconsciously spoke without any restraints. She forced herself to push the thought away, feeling the heat rise across her cheeks and down her neck. "This isn''t right," she whispered, scolding herself. After pulling back slightly as if to shake off the overwhelming sensations building up inside her. "I''m supposed to be helping him, not doing something dirty." She took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was there to clean his wounds, nothing more. But lost in her own nervous thoughts, she didn''t realize her hand had wandered until she felt it rest somewhere unexpected. As she brushed the towel against the towering ''hot rod,'' she wondered what it was, peering sideways with a closed eye. She let go of the towel, holding it firmly in her hands. It was so big and thick, trembling and growing in size under her touch, making her frown. "This is not the wrist or the thigh at all, what is this?" she said in confusion, caressing it up and down. Alexander, who was asleep, felt a jolt of electricity and let out a muffled moan. Aeloria heard him and opened her eyes. Looking at Alexander, still asleep, she sighed in disappointment she had really though he was awake. Then she looked at her hands and was horrified. "This, this, what did I do!" she exclaimed, as if struck by lightning. She was actually holding it, and worse, she was pulling it up and down, feeling awe-stricken by what she had done. "What a sin, what a sin," she murmured, frozen still for a moment. Aeloria let go and stood up, pacing in circles walking back and forth, her hand was on her chin, her gaze fixed on the floor. She was in a daze, clearly not in her right mind, her face nervously flitting around as she circled. She stopped for a moment and saw that it was already standing up, like a sword raised, making her freeze in place. She then glanced towards Alex''s troubled face, that showed he was clearly uncomfortable. She knew he must be feeling uncomfortable, knowing that it needed to be relieved. Aeloria had been exposed to a lot of grown-up stuff since she caused this, and she felt she had to be the one to end it. "Alex, forgive me for this," Aeloria said with a resolute face. She walked towards the bed and sat between his legs, gazing down at the bulging rod filled with vitality. Her two hands wrapped around it, feeling the touch. Her face turned hot from the stimulation, making her go crazy. [Yessssss!] The system prompted, watching this scene with popcorn that was made of hologram. After that, Aeloria did her best, even though she was clumsy. After a while, she achieved her goal, making it calm down. But in return, the white liquid sprayed her face. Smelling the weird scent and feeling the sticky situation on her face, and some droplets of it on her thighs, she calmed down and hurriedly cleaned Alexander. She was very careful, afraid that his family jewel would stand up full of vitality again. Her breathing was heavy, and the room was silent as her eyes were dazed while doing her job. When everything was clean, she also wiped away the liquid on her, feeling relieved. She took a deep breath, glancing once more at his resting form before carefully folding the damp towel. Aeloria then brought some clothes and helped Alexander put them on, ensuring she did it smoothly, fearful of triggering a reaction. When she put perfectly helped him wore some pants, she sighed in relief that nothing happened. If it did happen, she would die of embarrassment. The hardest part was the guilt, knowing that what she was doing was wrong. After standing up and seeing Alexander''s relieved face, she couldn''t help but smile at his relaxed expression. She slowly walked towards him, leaning in close to his face, her eyes filled with affection. She gazed at his lips, her mind filled with curious thoughts. "If I give him a little kiss, he won''t get angry, right?" she whispered in a low voice. "We''ve already done so much, but did not finish the formal ceremony- so, this isn''t too improper, right?" Aerloria whispered to herself, her heart racing as she leaned closer, her lips hovering just above Alexander''s. But in that delicate moment, the door slid open. "Aerloria! I just found some bandages! I thought we''d run out, but luckily, I''d stashed a few for futu¡ª" Grandma May stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her. Aerloria froze, her face that is inches away from Alexander''s, she then felt her cheeks burn hotter than ever. Caught red-handed, she pulled back immediately, horrified, barely able to meet Grandma May''s stunned gaze. "A-ah! Grandma May, it''s not what you think, I¡ªuh¡ªwe¡ªI just wanted to¡­" Aerloria stammered. Her words tumbling over themselves as her mind raced, scrambling to find some explanation, any explanation. But nothing coherent came to her. "Hahaha, Aerloria, there''s no need to be so shy. This is perfectly natural!" Grandma May said, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she pursed her lips. "Oh, don''t worry little girl," she added with a warm, knowing smile, "I''m sorry for interrupting. You can carry on with your plan. Consider this our little secret." She gave a conspiratorial wink, clearly delighted by the scene. "Grandma May! It''s¡­ it''s really not what you think!" Aerloria protested, her voice high with embarrassment, but Grandma May only chuckled as she left the room. Flustered and desperate, Aerloria dashed out of the room, her heart pounding as she left, hoping to explain herself¡ªthough she wasn''t sure she could even find the words. Chapter 76 - 75 Mission Complete Alexander who lying in silence, he was still and motionless on the bed, showing no signs of stirring. When Aeloria returned, she set to work cleaning and bandaging his wounds, carefully applying medicinal herbs to speed up his healing. Even though his body seemed to have an inhuman ability to recover, she still tended to his injuries, to ensure he had the best chance for a full recovery. Three days passed in this way, with Aeloria watching over him. But Alexander remained unconscious, barely moving, lost in his own world. Finally, on the fourth day, a faint tremor flickered over his eyelids, and his eyes opened slowly. The familiar view of the room''s ceiling greeted him, and he felt an odd sense of comfort in its familiarity. He slowly sat up, pushing the quilt off his body. Running a hand over his forehead, his gaze shifted down to his bandaged torso. "Dang... I really thought I''d died and was somehow back to my world," he muttered, a hint of awe creeping into his voice. "I''m actually still alive, what a surprised." he finished, with a smile. With the severity of his injuries and the poison that had already spread through his bloodstream, he knew he must have died and failed the mission, facing the system punishment. "What a big plot twist," he said, his eyes glimmering as he tried to recall the events. He only remembered being stabbed and then passing out from the excessive loss of blood. [Congratulations on completing the mission, Host.] [The system is very pleased with your hard work and dedication to your first mission in traveling to another realm.] The system panel stated, leaving him stunned and excited. He had defeated the man in the black suit, it was clear he was the mastermind in the mission. [As a result, the system will bestow upon you a gift to bring you joy.] [For your diligent efforts, you have been granted an item.] [You have received a one-time use ''Dimensional Passport x2''.] [Item: Dimensional Passport Grade: Legendary Description: This mystical item allows the user to transport any living being to any realm they have previously visited. If the host uses this item to bring citizens from another realm to their own, those individuals will be affected by your skill, Traveler. Traveler: Any person brought to your world will only understand the languages you know. For example, if you speak Filipino, the transported person will only understand Filipino. If you have a basic understanding of English, the person will also have a basic understanding of English. Note: This item can only be used once. Make sure to carefully consider your actions before using it.] The dimensional passport was then placed in his inventory, its appearance greatly mesmerizing his viewpoint. The cover shimmered with shifting colors, adorned with intricate patterns that gave it a magical aura. The edges glowed faintly, adding to its mystical appearance. There were even some runes on the cover, giving it a magical vibe. "This item is truly amazing; it''s even a Legendary-grade item. With this, does it mean I can bring anyone I want back to my world?" Alexander exclaimed as the realization dawned on him. He then closed the system inventory as another system panel appeared before him. [Mission: Saved the Village Difficulty: Medium Reward: +3 Level, Random Middle grade item, and New system function. Description: You will be transported to another world on an Island called ''Mistveil Island''. The goal of this is to keep the village ''Ariana'' from the beast attacks and find the mastermind attracting this beast. You will be transported after 3 days, please be prepared. Failing the mission, will make the host experience sperm cramps for 1 week with 100% pain intensity. Time remaining: 13 days. Status: Completed] Alexander was excited that he can finally receive his rewards making him so happy of course. [Status update...] [Status Experience: 30,000/34,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 18 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 33 Strength: 125 Speed: 95 Agility: 80 Dexterity: 65 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 85 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos Balance: 4,227,168 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct}, {Toxin Nullifier} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Alexander couldn''t help but be in awe of how far he had come. He felt incredibly strong, almost like a nuclear bomb ready to detonate if he returned to his world. He realized that even a skyscraper could be destroyed with just a punch, and he could feel the toughness of his skin for defense. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Guns, bazookas, tanks, and missiles would be ineffective against him. Making him really proud of his self. "What a cheat, what a cheat! this is truly cheating," Alexander muttered, curling his lips in a mix of amazement and happiness. [New function of the system unlocked] [Expedition Mode] [System Function: Expedition Mode {Unlocked} Description: You have unlocked the expedition mode. In this mode, you can send your miniature self on expeditions to gather resources, earn money, and discover rare items while you''re away. These expeditions will continue to generate rewards over time, allowing you to progress even when you are not actively playing. [Note: Upgrading the expedition mode will increase the time needed to claim the rewards.] [Expedition Mode {Level 1}: To upgrade Expedition mode to the next level, it will cost: 100,000,000,000.] Instructions: You can make money overtime, but you''ll have to invest an amount that is not lower or higher than 1 million pesos. Potential Rewards: A 30-50% return on investment, a 50% chance to receive a lower grade item, and a 10% chance for a middle grade item. Additionally, boost items are available with a 10% probability. Expedition time: 1 day.] [Increasing the level of upgrades can enhance the return on investment, also raise the chances of obtaining an item of a higher grade. Additionally, the inclusion of some high-grade boost items can further increase its probability.] Alexander reading the effect while listening to the system explanation, realizing that being rich had become much easier now. [Also, as the upgrade increases, the time for the expedition will also increase. This function can only be used after you return back to your world.] [After completing the mission, you are granted a three-day period before your transportation back.] The system announced this as his final reward appeared before him, accompanied by the electronic voice of the system. [A random middle-grade item will be given to the Host. To ensure fairness, the system offers the host the chance to spin for their own random reward.] Hearing this, Alexander nodded in satisfaction, not wanting his reward to be completely predetermined and handed to him. Suddenly, a spinning wheel appeared in front of him as he pulled the red lever, setting the spin into motion. "Let it be something useful." "Something useful, please." "Please, let it be useful," he repeated in silent prayer, watching the wheel spin. He resembled an eager child anticipating his reward. Just like before, the rewards were hidden behind question marks, leaving him uncertain of what he would receive. As the wheel spun for a few moments, it gradually slowed down until it finally stopped on the prize. Curious about what awaited him behind the question mark, he could only hope for a good outcome. Congratulations, Host! You have won ''Spectral Suite''. [Armor: Spectral Suite Description: Ghostly armor that offers high mobility and moderate protection. Effects: +12 Defense, +8 Agility, Invisibility in shadows Unique Passive: Phantom Guard - Reduces the likelihood of being hit by enemy attacks by 10%.] The armor was placed in his inventory, and as he withdrew it with excitement, the splendor of the armor materialized before him. In his hands the armor exudes an aura of dark elegance and formidable power. The armor is predominantly black, with intricate, sharp-edged metallic details that give it a gothic and intimidating appearance. The chest plate and shoulder guards are adorned with ornate designs, adding a touch of malevolent beauty to the ensemble. The hood, which obscures the wearer''s face, enhances the mysterious and ominous look, creating an air of enigma around the wearer. The arm guards and leg guards are equally elaborate, providing full protection while maintaining a sleek, agile form. The overall design combines the spectral, ghostly theme with a warrior-like presence, making the wearer look both mysterious and incredibly menacing. With its unique blend of beauty and danger, the Spectral Armor is not perfect one for a character like Alexander whose ability was so destructive. It even has its own gloves that are intricately designed in a color of obsidian, dancing along the fingertips, providing both a menacing appearance and enhanced dexterity. The boots are lightweight yet sturdy, enabling swift, silent steps as if the wearer were gliding across the ground. Looking at the armor, Alexander was in a great mood. While it may not fully align with his own abilities, it was still a valuable piece offering defense, agility, and even invisibility in shadows. "This armor is more fitting for an assassin than a berserker," he declared, scrutinizing it. The design and appearance of the armor resembled something out of a movie he had watched, remembering it''s appearance from the outfits in Assassin''s Creed. "Well, learning skills related to an assassin is not a bad choice," he remarked, stroking his chin as he nodded in approval of the idea. Suddenly, the door opened, and Aeloria''s face appeared slightly nonchalant. However, upon seeing Alexander sitting on the bed, her expression transformed into one of happiness as she ran towards him like a little girl seeing a candy. Chapter 77 - 76 "Alex, you''re awake!" Aeloria exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes. Alexander, caught off guard by her sudden reaction, was stunned, frozen in place on the bed. Aeloria leaned against his chest, where the bandages still covered his wounds. Her two hands squeezed against his chest, her face pressed against his. The tears in her eyes dampened the bandages. "Hey, hey! Aeloria, stop crying. I''m not dead, am I? Why are you crying as if I''ve died?" Alexander said, his heart warming as he patted her back. Hearing the voice she had been longing to hear for so long, even though it had only been four days to her, it felt like months or years. She raised her head slightly, gazing at him. Alexander was captivated by the sight, she was crying, with tears cascading down her flushed pink cheeks. Her demeanor was a mix of joy and melancholy, presenting a sight that was both beautiful and appealing. Aeloria''s large eyes and pronounced features lent her a childlike quality, enhancing her aura of vulnerability and innocence. "This, this..." Alexander faltered, his eyes brimming with affection. "Aeloria, please stop crying, okay? Look, your appearance is almost like that of an ugly duckling," Alexander teased, smiling as he gently wiped her face with his hands. As she felt his touch, warmth and shyness washed over Aeloria, and she let him dry her tears. However, upon being called ugly, she puffed up her cheeks, ceased her crying, and bit the hand before her. Alexander was taken aback by the abrupt attack. Although his hand wasn''t in pain, the instinctive human reaction to anticipate pain caused him to groan as if he were hurt. Seeing what she had done, Aeloria panicked and felt remorseful. "What did I do!" she spoke inwardly, repenting from her actions. "Alex, are you alright? I''m so sorry, I just... I don''t know what came over me," Aeloria said, her mind overwhelmed with sympathy. Alexander, upon seeing her expression, chuckled softly and responded, "Don''t worry about it; I was merely surprised. Look, I''m not actually hurt," he said, displaying his bitten hand to her. There was no bite mark at all, making her calm down. "That''s good~" she said, falling into his embrace once again, feeling relieved. Alexander was in a state of dilemma, seeing her so attached to him. What if he went back and left her? But then he remembered the rewards, particularly the item that could travel to any realm, and he felt ecstatic. However, the question lingered in his mind: what if she didn''t agree? This thought caused his mind to ache as he stared at the open door in a daze. While he was spacing out, Aeloria wrapped her arms around his neck, sitting between his laps. Since they had already done something much more embarrassing, her current actions only affected her slightly causing redness in her face. "Alex, is there something on your mind? Why are you spacing blankly all of a sudded?" Aeloria remarked, looking at him with concern. She was worried that maybe he was feeling unwell from being in a coma for four days. Alexander, who was back to reality, looked at her and the position she was in right now. He then mustered up his courage to state his troubles. If Aeloria didn''t want to follow him, he wouldn''t force her to go with him unwillingly. Alexander was aware that the world posed real dangers for them, particularly because they were both women, which could make them vulnerable to bad men. "But am I not a bad man for taking her away from her own world to live with me?" he said inwardly, questioning his actions. "But my conscience is good, so I''m not really a bad person," he said, trying to console himself. Seeing him taking a long time to speak, Aeloria was confused until she heard him speak. "Actually, Aeloria, I have to leave after three days. That''s why I''m wondering if..." he said, looking into her face but was cut off, by a loud exclamation. "Big brother, you''ve woken up! Little Anya misses you so much!" Anya, with Pascal perched above her head, narrowed its gaze. Pascal: Ahhh, Humans. With the sudden interruption Alexander felt like his energy was drained, the time was good the momentum was great but alas. "Oh, little Anya, do you miss your big brother that much?" Alexander said with a smile, as Anya ran towards him. She halted abruptly upon seeing the two, exclaiming with cheeks puffed and arms crossed, "Big sister, why are you hugging big brother Alex like that? It''s not fair, Anya wants to hug big brother too!" Alexander, seeing her actions, couldn''t help but laugh. Her expression was that of a girl whose favorite toy had been stolen. Aeloria didn''t let go, looking at Alexander, her gaze unwavering. She had clearly heard what he said, making her freeze in place. "Leave? Leave me? Leave us?," she muttered her mind was not in the right state right now. Anya, not getting a reply from her big sister, flared up in anger and jumped between them in the center that had a small space. With the sudden interruption, Aeloria was woken up from her dazed state. Looking at the culprit, it was Anya, causing her face to release a slight smile. "Anya, why are you so aggressive all of a sudden? Hehe, look at your face, it seems like I did something bad," Aeloria said, letting go of Alexander and sitting back on the bed, pinching Anya''s cheeks. Anya glanced to the side, her lips pursed in a pout. Alexander couldn''t resist stroking her hair gently with his hands. "Haha, Anya, don''t be upset. Look at your cheeks; they''re so puffed up they might burst," he teased. "Anya is not angry, big brother Alex. Anya just missed you so much, but big sister didn''t even call Anya. Hmph," she said, hugging him with her cute little arms, looking at Aeloria with grievance. Aeloria couldn''t help but feel wronged, asking for forgiveness from the little child. Anya accepted it with a smile, going towards her while her cheeks were being squeezed by Aeloria, who was in a daze. Clearly, she was in a deep thought. With the sudden quiet atmosphere, where only Anya''s humming sound could be heard, Alexander decided to inquire, knowing that it wasn''t a good time to state his leave. "Oh yeah, Aeloria, how long have I been sleeping?" he inquired, thinking that it must have only been one day. "You have been in a coma for four days now. We really thought you weren''t waking up. But since you''re breathing well, and your injuries are fully healed, we decided to wait for a while, and finally, you''ve woken up," she said, tears starting to well up again, but she stopped and looked at him full of affection. "$ days?" Alexander muttered inwardly, with a shocked face, but quickly calmed down and was very much surprised. "What is the condition of the villagers right now? Are there any problems?" Alexander asked, curious if there was any trouble left. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aeloria simply shook her head and replied, "Nothing occurred while you were in a coma. The beast attacks have ceased, and our normal life has returned," she expressed with a smile of relief. Finally, the days of hell were finally done, thanks to the man in front of her, filled with gratitude. Alexander just nodded, knowing that his mission was already complete since there were no more troubles left. However, before his departure, there was still unfinished business to attend to. Therefore, it was crucial that any impending troubles be resolved before his teleportation back, three days later. Alexander first got off the bed and stretched his body. He then put on some clothes that were given by Aeloria. "So, who is currently in charge of managing the village?" he inquired, turning to Aeloria who stood beside him, already on her feet as well. "Oh, actually it''s Uncle Nendo. I think you already met him back when you gave us time to escape," she replied. "Oh," Alexander replied, then the image of a man filled with bravery popped up in his mind. It was evident that the village would thrive under this man''s guidance, although much would depend on the circumstances. As for Alexander, he was quite taken with the man''s attitude and personality. "Let''s step outside for a bit, I need to stretch since I''ve been lying for 4 days," Alexander suggested to Aeloria, as Anya raised her hands, signaling her desire to be picked up. Which he gladly did. He could even see the little gecko was wrapping around her neck. Looking at the little creature, he couldn''t help but smile at this animal that had already formed a bond with Anya. As they exited the room, he saw Grandma May, whom he greeted. Grandma May was a little deaf, so she couldn''t hear the noise in the room. When she saw Alexander, she was very happy, of course. She even wanted to kneel down to express her gratitude, making Alexander angry. He quickly intervened and told her that while expressing gratitude is appreciated, one should never kneel for it. Alexander was uncomfortable with the elderly kneeling before him as if he were royalty, even if it was a gesture of thanks. Chapter 78 - 77 As Alexander stepped out of the house, the bright sunlight enveloped his face, prompting him to close his eyes and savor the refreshing sensation. "Little Anya, where do you want to go?" Alexander asked, looking above. "Anywhere big brother," Anya exclaimed, as she placed her two delicate hands on his forehead. "Hahaha, then up-up and away," Alexander spoke as they traveled. Aeloria trailed closely behind the pair, her dazed expression making it evident that she was not in her usual state of mind. As they walked along the path within the village, the news spread rapidly among the villagers, much like wildfire. "Look! The young warrior is awake! He''s finally awake!" The call echoed through the small community, each shout full of joy and relief. It was as if the person who shouted had been holding its breath, waiting for this moment. People hurried out of their homes, dropping whatever they had been doing, and rushed to catch sight of Alexander, who stood at the center of attention. "Bless the heavens, he''s really alive!" one elder said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I was beginning to think we''d lost him." Her wrinkled face, usually stern and composed, softened with a wide smile, and she clasped her hands as if in prayer. "Young warrior! You gave us all a scare," another villager called out, laughing as he wiped at tears that had sprung up unexpectedly. "You really have the spirit of a lion!" Another one added. A few children gathered around, peeking up at him with wide eyes filled with awe and admiration. A few young boys exchanged glances and whispered, "I want to be like him one day," their voices filled with newfound dreams. ... For the record, I omitted mentioning children and kids because only a few reside here, and they are usually confined to their homes, so I excluded those details. ... They all gathered before him, forming a circle around his location. He felt akin to a celebrity in that moment. Witnessing the admiration and gratitude on their faces, he was, naturally, pleased. "Hey, can''t you see he''s just woken up? He needs some space and fresh air. Let''s give him that and save our congratulations for our savior later," Nendo addressed the gathering crowd. The villagers who heard him did not refute him at all. They just expressed their gratitude one by one, to which Alexander nodded in return to show his respect. As they began to disperse, Alexander couldn''t help but sigh in relief. Finally, he could breathe. "I have to give you my thanks for that," Alexander expressed his gratitude, looking at Nendo. Hearing his thanks, Nendo just waved his hands, "Hahaha, you don''t have to do that. I don''t want your thanks, more precisely. I should thank you. If it weren''t for you, we would have been goners," he said as he bowed his head. Alexander was about to stopped him, but Nendo voiced stopped his actions, "Don''t stop me, I just want to express my heartfelt gratitude for saving our village if it weren''t for you. "Ariana Village" will merely be a part of history. Hearing his heartfelt gratitude, Alexander just nodded solemnly. Clearly, he was very uncomfortable. "Alright, you can stand upright now, you''re making me uncomfortable," Alexander muttered with a smile. "Hahaha, young man, you really are so humble. What about you, little Anya? What are you doing up there?" Nendo asked, gazing upwards where Anya was riding Alexander. "Hehe, Uncle, I''m just enjoying the view," Anya hummed in reply. Nendo then looked behind and glanced towards Aeloria with a greeting, to which she nodded as well. He then looked back towards Alexander and inquired. "Do you have something that you need my help with? I can accompany you if you want to," he bellowed. Alexander, hearing this, nodded his head as he lifted Anya down and walked towards Aeloria. "Aeloria, take care of Anya for a bit. I''m just going to have a private chat with our new village chief," he said with a smile. Aeloria nodded as she took Anya, and Alexander then patted the little girl''s head, seeing her angry look. "Anya, don''t be angry. I''m just going to have a grown-up talk with your Uncle Nendo, okay," he said with a vibrant smile. Anya just nodded her head in reply with puffed-up cheeks, clearly not liking it, but she had to. Alexander then glanced back at Aeloria and saw that she was silent, looking at him. This sight made him sigh, knowing that his words earlier must have hit her deeply. He would have a private talk with her after all of this was done so it could be done in one fell swoop. As he made his way back towards Nendo, the man was there waiting. Once they met, they walked away together. "So, what is the status of the village while I was in a coma? I''ve remembered I caused a lot of damage around the surrounding area," he asked, looking front. "While you were in a coma, we repaired the damaged area. I directed some villagers to fill the craters with soil, and we cut and utilized the uprooted trees. We buried the corpses that were scattered around, but the ravenwing''s body was too large and heavy to move, so we left it there," Nendo recounted the events. "We decided to chop it up into pieces and bury its body, but its scales and even its skin are harder than steel, so that''s why I''ve been waiting for you to wake up if you can offer any solution," he finished. Alexander, hearing this, nodded his head as they arrived at the corpse. He also wondered what he was going to use this corpse for. "System, is there any use for the corpse of this Flying beast?" he asked. [No, if this beast is at least a spirit beast, he could have been useful since every spirit beast has what you call the ''Aetherial Core.'' This is greatly sought after by alchemists, formation masters, and blacksmiths.] [Since the ''Aetherial Core'' is filled with a large amount of condensed energy, it can be used to power up formations. It can also add buffs to certain weapons or armors. For alchemists, it can offer great boost in attributes depending on the way it was refined.] Listening to the explanation of the system, Alexander understood now. He couldn''t help but sigh in sadness since the beasts he vanquished were all one step away from being a spirit beast. "So, what can I do with this stuff?" Alexander muttered, clearly very much confused, since he couldn''t just throw it in the forest, right? It would even attract more trouble for the village. Suddenly, an idea popped up in his mind. "System, is it okay to put this in the system inventory?" he asked inwardly. [Yes, it''s allowed since the body was already lifeless without any sign of vitality and lingering soul. The host can store it in the system storage.] Hearing this, Alexander was relieved that the problem was finally solved. "System, put it in my inventory." [Roger that, Host.] Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the remains of the Ravenwing gradually vanished, shrouded in a cascade of blue particles, Nendo watched in awe at the spectacle orchestrated by Alexander. But he quickly calmed down and did not ask what he did, thinking that this must be one of the abilities of being a warrior. Also, it must be private so asking this is not really good. "So, you wanted to speak with me in private, right?" Nendo said, his gaze fixed on Alexander. "Is there something specific you''d like to discuss?" he finished. "Yes, Uncle Nendo," Alexander replied. "Three days from now, I have to leave. I don''t know if I''ll ever be able to return, so I need to resolve any problems that might arise once I''m gone." he stated. Hearing this, Nendo nodded, already prepared from this. With his experience, he understood that young people often needed to venture out to explore the world, especially a talented one like him. "I knew this time would come," he said steadily. "After all, you weren''t originally a citizen of this village. But just remember this, if you ever choose to return, the village will welcome you as family, no matter who you''ve become." Alexander felt warmth at those words, as he asked his real purposed, "Uncle Nendo, do you know where the lair of the bandit who killed Anya''s parents is?" His eyes hardened, a hint of killing intent flickering within them. "I want them to understand that in this world, karma still exists." he said his voice was accompanied by coldness. Sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, Nendo can felt the anger radiating from Alexander. He, too, felt a surge of rage as memories of Anya''s mother resurfaced in his mind. He could still clearly picture her terrible condition. Nendo really wanter to avenge her himself, but his hands were tied. Overstepping his boundaries would only bring trouble to him and the village, so he could do nothing but grit his teeth in frustration as he watched Anya''s mother suffer every day. His fear was not for himself, but for the others who might be implicated. Acting without considering the pros and cons could lead to a disaster, not just for him, but for the entire community. "To tell you the truth, I came across their lair during a hunting trip. It''s about ten kilometers from the village, up on that mountain," Nendo said, pointing toward the nearby peaks. "If you head straight from here, you''ll find a cave guarded by bandits," he added, recalling the scene from his memory. Years ago, while hunting, he had stumbled upon the place by accident. After catching two rabbits, he had spotted a pair of bandits and decided to follow them, eventually finding their lair. He had etched the location into his memory, waiting for the day someone strong enough would come to exterminate these bastards. Fortunately, that day had finally come. Someone capable stood before him, ready to lift this burden from his shoulders. After finishing their conversation about life and other matters, Alexander bid his farewell. Later that night, seated alone in his room, he opened his eyes from his meditation, sitting in a lotus position, fully prepared for what lay ahead. [This chapter has taken more pages than expected for his first mission, don''t get mad since this will be important for the future] Chapter 79 - 78 Karma is real 1 Opening his eyes, Alexander stood up from the bed. He had already eaten and used the, [Vital Drawing Technique] to fully digest his meal. Now, he slipped on the Spectral Suit. As he adjusted it, he couldn''t help but feel that he looked impressive, too bad there wasn''t a mirror in this world to confirm his intuition. Just then, the door slid open, revealing Aeloria, her gaze intent as she watched him. "Alex, are you going out?" she asked. Initially taken aback by the outfit, she swiftly composed herself and awaited his response. Alexander wasn''t surprised from her sudden intrusion, he had sensed someone outside, hearing some faint footsteps and noticing the slight gap in the door. He can clearly guess it was her. "Yes, Aeloria, I will be out for a bit and will return shortly. Upon my return, I will explain everything to you," he responded. Aeloria nodded, then suddenly ran toward him, wrapping her arms around his chest. Alexander couldn''t help but wonder, "Does she really enjoy hugging me that much? Have I actually carved out a place in her heart?" He blushed slightly as he hugged her back, his arms circling in her delicate waist. Aeloria lifted her gaze to him and whispered delicately, "Be careful, and make sure you come back safely." With their faces so close, Alexander couldn''t resist and gently brushed his lips against hers. Unable to stop himself, he deepened the kiss, murmuring, "Guess I really am a bit impulsive." in a low voice that no one could hear even Aeloria. Aeloria moaned softly, her body seeming to grow weaker in his arms as her eyes turned misty. The intensity in her gaze made his heart blaze, reminding him of a moment they''d once shared but left unfinished. Yet, he restrained himself, knowing it wasn''t the right time. He took a steadying breath, reminding himself that they hadn''t even confirmed their relationship yet. Acting on lust alone felt wrong, and he didn''t want to risk disrespecting the bond growing between them. "Maybe I should consider learning Buddhism or Taoism," Alexander thought as he took his face a step back, letting Aeloria catch her breath. She sank into his arms, her face flushed deep red, the color spreading to her neck and ears. "Sorry about that¡ªI couldn''t hold back," he muttered, gritting his teeth. This desire felt more intense than he had anticipated. Aeloria, too shy and embarrassed to meet his eyes, gave him a warm smile and whispered, "It''s okay, I''m not upset." Her voice was barely audible, and she shifted her weight shyly. Alexander took a steadying breath, silently chanting, ''Amitabha'' inwardly, trying to clear his mind from the impure thoughts. He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently guiding her back. "Wait for me here, alright? I have a surprise for you," Alexander said, pinching her nose playfully. Aeloria looked down, her blush deepening. After saying his farewells, he headed out. Anya was already asleep with Grandma May, leaving him free to focus on his mission. Following Nendo''s directions, he set off toward the bandits'' lair. With the Spectral Suit concealing his aura, he felt remarkably light, almost ghostly. He thought to himself that he could easily pass for a member of the legendary assassin group, the ''Assassins Creed''. Dashing swiftly from tree to tree, he left a faint afterimages in his wake, moving like a phantom in the night. Even a person with sharp eyesight wouldn''t be able to spot him. After only five minutes, he had covered the ten kilometers and arrived near the bandits'' hideout. Scanning the area, he quickly located the entrance. It was heavily guarded, with two bandits clad in leather and iron armor. Torches burned on either side of the cave entrance, casting flickering shadows across the guards and illuminating the area outside. "If this is indeed the place, then the time has come for me to deliver justice to this world," Alexander whispered, his determination solidifying. Even if his hands were drenched in blood, he was willing to carry that weight if it meant ridding the world of evil. Though he lacked true experience in killing a person and knew the weight of that responsibility, he was grateful for his skill, ''Heart of Stone'', which would help him bear the burden. "let''s take the first step," he whispered, stepping slowly from his hiding spot. The two guards, slumped against the cave entrance, were bored and sleepy. One of them even yawned, clearly wishing he could rest for the night. Suddenly, the sound of faint footsteps reached their ears, snapping them to attention. Startled, they drew their weapons, pointing them at the dark figure approaching from the shadows. Clad in black, Alexander moved with an aura so chilling that an eerie tension filled the air, sending cold sweat trickling down their backs. "Who are you to speak?!" the man with the spear roared, his voice echoing with a bravado that was quickly crumbling as he saw the cold, hard glint in Alexander''s eyes. "Dead men tell no tales," Alexander replied, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down their spines. His killing intent, a palpable force of raw, untamed power, exploded outwards, engulfing the two men in a wave of icy terror. They felt like a prey, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as they faced a predator, not just any predator, but one clad in human flesh. "Don''t... don''t come any closer," the man with the sword stammered, his voice cracking with fear. His hand, gripping the hilt of his sword, was shaking so violently. The other man, his face was ghastly white, as he stood frozen, with his eyes wide with terror. They both knew, deep in their hearts, that they were no matched from the appearance of this man. Alexander''s gaze was cold and unwavering then suddenly the sword [Infernal Fury], materialized in his hand. Seeing the sudden appearance of the sword, the two men scrambled to react, but it was too late. In a flash of pure speed, Alexander vanished from his spot, a gust of wind whipping past them as he materialized behind them. Their screams were cut short as a sharp, searing pain ripped through their chests. Blood gushed from the wounds staining their armor. Even the armor, that is used to defend its user was useless. They then collapsed lifelessly, with their bodies falling to the ground with a thud, their last breaths escaping in a flurry of coughs and gasps. [You killed a level 3 Human. You''ve gained 8 exp.] [You killed a level 4 Human. You''ve gained 11 exp.] Alexander stepped into the light cave, the path illuminated by flickering torches that cast long, the way attaching itself on the walls. As he walked deeper, the space began to open up, revealing a vast chamber filled with noise. A dozen or so bandits, with their faces hardened by years of violence and debauchery, were gathered around a long, crudely made tables, their laughter booming through the cave. "Hahaha, brothers, let''s drink! Let''s drink to another good harvest!" a man with a face twisted by a scar, his eyes gleaming with a cruelty. "Yeah, let''s celebrate! Hahaha, those women from the village, they were real beauties! Just imagine their screams when we assaulted them for an hour straight. That look on their faces, were really priceless!" another bandit added, clinking his cup against another''s, his voice dripping with a sickening pleasure. "Can''t argue with that," a third bandit chimed in, his laughter echoing through the chamber. "The best part was her mother, letting her kid get violated right in front of her. Just the look on her face, that is pure terror and disbelief, was captivating! It was a real masterpiece." he said gleefuly. "Hey, hey, don''t forget about the husband," a burly man with a thick neck and bulging biceps interjected, slapping the last speaker on the back, a sound like a thunderclap. "You should have gone a little softer on her wife and daughter, you know. Look at the trauma that you have place on him, has poor guy." he said sarcastically. "Well, that''s if they''re still alive," the last bandit smirked, his eyes glinting with a chilling indifference. As Alexander stood in the darkness, his ears catching the vile boasts of the bandits, a storm brewed within him. His anger, surged through his veins, turning his eyes to glacial ice. The injustice and cruelty inflicted by these men ignited a fire in his soul, a fire that burned with a fierce, unrelenting rage. [Berserker Instinct was Activated] The system announced, seeing the sudden increased in fury that coursed through Alexander. It was a primal response, a natural reaction of his anger, in triggering his skill. The bandits, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the atmosphere, stood frozen in shock and disbelief. Their happy celebration was shattered by the ominous presence that now loomed before them. In the center of their place, a figure materialized, cloaked in black suite. The man who had spoken last felt a chill run down his spine as he locked eyes with the stranger. The coldness in those eyes seemed to pierce his very soul, stripping away the haze of drunkenness making him wide awake. The bandits, once filled with bravado and cruelty, now quivered in fear, their voices silenced by the sudden appearance of an unknown person in front of them With a sudden surge in strength, his skill, [Berserker Instinct], had the immense ability to suppress his enemies by making them feel his intense bloodlust. The man was about to speak when a large hand covered his field of view, gripping it tightly and causing him to groan as he was lifted off the ground. He struggled, punching and kicking at the hands that held him, but it was futile. The man holding him stood unshaken, like a towering building. With an iron grip, Alexander seized the man by the face, his features contorting in agony as he was yanked close before being flung across the cave, his body colliding with the rocky wall. The sickening impact left him slumped, his lifeless eyes staring into oblivion. [You killed a level 5 Human. You''ve gained 15 exp.] The system''s cold announcement was heard by him. The bandits, their faces drained of color, watched in disbelief as one of their own met a swift and brutal end with just a single throw. The air crackled with tension as the man wielding a heavy sword stepped forward, his voice was firm but his grip is shaky. "Our location''s been discovered. Let''s teach this bastard a lesson. Brothers, prepare yourselves," he barked, rallying the rest of the bandits to action. Surrounded on all sides, Alexander remained unfazed, his blade humming with anticipation. "Idiots," Alexander muttered, his eyes glared coldly. The blade in his hand seemed to hum with a life of its own, eager for the impending carnage. As the cave filled with the shouts, screams, and pleas for mercy, Alexander moved with relentless assault. In that moment, there was no escape from his wrath, his like a god of death providing justice. [You killed a level 4 Human. You''ve gained 11 exp.] [You killed a level 6 Human. You''ve gained 14 exp.] sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [You killed a level 4 Human. You''ve gained 10 exp.] ... A series of notifications sounded in his ears, which was like music to his ears, but this did not calm his anger down. The bandits were like chickens on a chopping board. As all of them lay down and the place was filled with blood and wreckage, Alexander stood calmly, looking at what he had done. Then, heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance tunnel as about eight men entered. The man in the center, brimming with smiles, was large and tall, his frame adorned with an impressive musculature. He just stopped, and not just him, but his companions were also frozen, looking at the scene. All the loot bags they were carrying were dropped to the ground in a heavily thud, and a coin different from any other rolled on the ground. "Take out your weapons!" he shouted, filled with caution. His face was serious, looking at the person who seemed to be the cause of this. Chapter 80 - 79 Karma is real 2 Hearing the loud shout, all of them hurriedly took out their weapons, pointing at Alexander glintly. Their faces were malicious and vicious, looking at him filled with hatred. "Why did you kill all of my companions? Have we, the Wicked Talons, done something to offend you?" The man in the center, who was carrying a sword, bellowed. He did not know why a mysterious person had come to massacre his group of bandits that he managed. He had always been cautious and never offended those who are not to be offended. In front of him, he could feel that it must be a warrior since he had already massacred his members without even sweating. The hair all over him stood on end, the others were also not exempted. Even though Alexander was just standing still without moving, the bloodlust surged like a killing wave washing over them. They felt that they were in hell just by looking at his red eyes, visible from the black robe. Alexander did not say anything, just looked at them coldly as he sneered inwardly. Suddenly, his eyes caught someone, making him purse his lips. It was actually none other than the big guy who was holding a battle axe. He clearly remembered the guy''s name was Vladimir. "Is this also fate?" Alexander muttered inwardly. "But since you have appeared in front of me again, it''s time to put an end to this bandit gang," he finished. Receiving no reply, the man frowned but did not show his displeased face. Even though he was not a warrior, he was considered a strong person. Why would he not be the leader if he was not strong? Alexander, like a mute person, did not speak. Wasting his breath on someone who is going to die would be so wasteful. He then spread out his hand holding the blade, disappearing from the naked eye as it was covered by spectral lights storing it in his inventory. Seeing this, the leader of the bandits sensed an impending doom. He was about to alert his brothers but it was too late. With a gust of wind, Alexander flew like a bullet, leaving two small cracks in the ground where he stood. The man hurriedly thrust his sword, trying to intercept him, even though he couldn''t see Alexander. He decided to try his luck if he could catch him, but it was futile. Alexander appeared, holding the blade and pinning it between his two fingers. The leader of the bandits was horrified seeing this and was about to take it back. But Alexander exerted force in his fingers, snapping the blade. He then raised his legs and released a powerful kick. The man was too slow to dodge, getting hit in the chest with a loud thud. Bones broke with a snap, making an ugly expression as his eyes turned white. Puking lots of blood, his body flew, sliding to the ground far away from him. The man did not stand up, clearly he was badly damaged from that strike. Alexander, knowing he had merely disabled the man with his earlier attack, watched as a wave of fear washed over the remaining bandits at the sight of their boss being incapacitated. One of the bandits, driven by a mix of fear and desperation, lunged forward with his hefty sword, aiming to strike Alexander from behind in a lethal blow. Unfazed, Alexander''s expression remained stoic. With swift precision, he clenched his fist and seized the man''s wrist, the one holding the sword, redirecting the attack and delivering a sharp blow to the man''s abdomen. The bandit doubled over, as a surge of nausea overwhelming him, though there was nothing left in his stomach to expel. Before he could recover, Alexander swiftly took hold of his arms, effortlessly flinging him backward. With a firm grasp on the man''s neck, Alexander brought him crashing down to the ground with such force that a small crater formed upon impact, the man''s body crumpling inwards with a sickening thud. [You killed a level 6 Human. You''ve gained 8 exp.] The man did not even groan in pain as he was mashed to the earth, killing him. Alexander then glanced at the five remaining bandits. Vladimir, with the big axe, looked at this scene filled with horror, his mouth was agape. This scene made him remember the young man from weeks ago that made him look so silly. He could clearly remember how they were being played. Now, the event repeated itself, making him shudder incredulously. "Brothers, since we are going to die, let''s attack together and bring our best attacks," the man stated with heavy breaths, his face solemn as he looked at the mysterious man radiating with endless might. The man beside him was about to cry but steeled himself, "You''re right, brother. Since we are going to die, we have to fight till the end to show this mysterious guy that we, the ''Wicked Talons,'' are not weak," the bandit spoke with integrity and bravery. The others looked at him with mouths wide open, clearly amazed by his ability to speak so well, motivating them with just a few words. They felt their morale rise inside their hearts, replacing the fear in their faces with bravery. "You''re right, we, the Wicked Talons, are not weak. We are not afraid of you!" Vladimir said, confronting Alexander with menacing eyes, not showing any fear. "That''s the spirit, my brothers. Let''s show this mysterious man that we are not weak man," the man who first suggested attacking Alexander together spoke again. Alexander observed the scene with an unchanged expression. Bravery could not bridge the vast gap in strength, it was merely a distraction from the harsh reality. "Let''s attack on the count of three," the man declared, positioning himself to charge at Alexander, while the others readied themselves as well. "3" He bellowed loudly, filled with enthusiasm. "2" "1" "Charge!" he shouted, leading the charge as the others followed swiftly behind. As the bandits rallied with a collective cry to charge forward, Alexander did not stand idly. With a surged of speed, he rushes towards them. As the man swung his blade down with menacing force, Alexander moved with uncanny agility, bending sideways to evade the strike. In a fluid motion, he seized the man''s arms, expertly dislocating his joints with a swift, calculated maneuver, he also kicked his two nee knees creating some bone breaking sounds. The man''s anguished groans filled the cavern as he crumpled to the ground, immobilized by the excruciating pain. Meanwhile, two other bandits closed in on Alexander, the one was Vladimir. Anticipating their attack, Alexander sprang into action, launching a devastating counterattack. With lightning speed, he delivered a powerful kick to their foot, the impact shattering the bones and rendering their feet useless. The sickening sound of bones splintering echoed through the cave as the bandits fell to the ground, writhing in agony. Their foot was so flat like it was run over by a tank. "My foot!" the other bandit shouted horribly, the excruciating pain making him wish for death. Vladimir''s face was also livid with pain as he dropped to his knees. Their two feet were now useless, literally impossible to recover, leaving them kneeling on the ground as tears slid down their faces. Another man rushed towards Alexander. Closing the distance with great speed, Alexander positioned his hand just an inch away from the man''s chest, directly over his heart. With his fingers slightly curled and his hand flat, Alexander generated an incredible force from his core, extending his arm in a sudden, explosive motion. The impact of the one-inch punch made the man''s eyes bulge in pain as the powerful strike sent him reeling. The explosive power made his heart stopped beating as he falls on the ground with a thud lying down motion less. [You killed a level 6 Human. You''ve gained 9 exp.] The leading man, seeing this scene, now knew what reality was. He couldn''t help but laugh at himself for how silly he was earlier. But then his eyes saw something that made his face dark and livid with anger, "You bastard, don''t tell me this was your plan from the start!" he bellowed, full of rage, as he looked at the retreating figure running to the entrance of the cave to escape. Hearing this, Vladimir and the other bandit glanced back and saw that it was none other than their companion their brother-in-arms who had actually betrayed them. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They were actually used so he could run and escape with his life, making them the scapegoats. This made them angry and filled with rage, that if they were given a chance, they would really kill him. The man who was running, with sweat pouring like a waterfall, was none other than the man who had motivated the group. He had already planned this from the very start. When they rushed towards the mysterious man, he just stood behind but did not run yet, wanting to see if some miracle would happen if they could kill him. However, his worldview was ruined when he saw the man only use some simple moves to decapitate them. Without thinking twice, he decided to run. He cursed himself for not running in the first place. He did not look back as he used all his speed to escape from the cruel man. Alexander just looked at him coldly. He then exerted force on the ground, making the debris jump up from the force, and the sword was pushed up as it floated above his knees. He then kicked the tip of the handle, and the sword flew without any constraint. The man, who saw the view outside of the entrance of the cave not far away and was very happy that he was about to escape, but he was too late. The blade pierced his back all the way to his front. He looked down, seeing that the blade was draped with blood, as he slowly raised his hands, shaking constantly, holding the sword blade with a pale face. "No- no... I was... close. I was so close," he muttered in heavy breath as he fell sideways, the blood was sliding from his mouth. His eyes were looking at the exit as he slowly lost consciousness. [You killed a level 5 Human. You''ve gained 9 exp.] Chapter 81 - 80 Harvest? Seeing that the betrayer was dead, they were happy, cursing and sneering at him. But as they looked into Alexander''s eyes, which held a devilish gaze, their happy expressions stiffened. "All of you can rest forever," he muttered in a heavy breath filled with coldness as he walked towards them step by step. He picked up a random sword and decided not to use his own sword, as it would only dirty it. He was now calm as an ocean, as his skill [Berserker Instinct] was already deactivated when his anger subsided. Their faces turned pale. The man who was beside Vladimir was about to beg for mercy, but it was too late as he was slashed diagonally full of brutality, ending his life. [You killed a level 6 Human. You''ve gained 8 exp.] Alexander was merciless, as what was there to be soft-hearted about? Many innocent lives suffered because of them. As a person with a heart filled with justice, he couldn''t forgive them even if they begged him. He walked past Vladimir without even glancing at him, heading towards the leading man who was the first to attack him earlier. "Great master, no, heavenly master, please forgive me¡ªplea¡ªplease don''t kill me!!!" he shouted from his last statement as Alexander just slashed at his neck, cutting it off. Blood gushed out with his head rolling on the ground. [You killed a level 7 Human. You''ve gained 10 exp.] He couldn''t help but find this scene a little gruesome, but his face remained indifferent. His heart stirred only a little bit inside him but calmed down as fast as it appeared. Turning back, he cast a glance that was the epitome of indifference and chill, his frosty stare sending shivers down Vladimir''s spine. "Sir, master, please don''t kill me. Please let me repent. I''ll try to turn a new leaf and become a good person," he begged Alexander as he smashed his head to the ground, filled with fear, crying like a child with a runny nose. Alexander stopped a few steps in front of him and looked at him coldly, feeling no pity at all. "Tell me, when you killed, raped, and looted every innocent person, did you let them go when they beg for merc?" he said calmly, but it was accompanied by intense killing intent, making Vladimir struggle to reply, shaking his body continuously. He couldn''t speak as memories flooded his mind. He could clearly remember all the victims that fell to his hand, were uncountable. He could hear their begging and cries, but he had been delighted to listen to this. Now that the tables were turned, his fate would be the same as his victims, even though he wouldn''t be raped, he was still going to die. Hearing the man named Vladimir, not even defending himself. He sneered as his eyes turned sharp, and the sword in his hand spun as he thrust it at his back, aiming for his heart. Vladimir puked some blood on the ground as Alexander took the sword back, removing his hood. "Look up" he bellowed. Hearing this, Vladimir slowly raised his head and was shocked. It was actually him. No wonder he gave off the same feeling as the young man he met weeks ago, sparing his life. He couldn''t help but laugh dryly as he felt his vision slowly fading. "What kind of coincidence is this? No wonder you give me the feeling that I seemed to have meet you before," he said, looking at Alexander''s face with an ugly smile. "My fate is really destined to be killed by your hands," he muttered as his vision and breathing became unstable and inaudible. His heart was gushing out lots of blood, losing its ability to pump blood from the body. [You killed a level 7 Human. You''ve gained 9 exp.] Alexander just looked at the corpse before him as he stood there for a while, glancing at the person lying a few steps away from him. "Do you think I''m stupid to not know that you are faking your death?" he said under his breath. Even though his voice was low, the man clearly heard it. He panicked, his face turning solemn, knowing that he was next. He couldn''t get up or run away since his torso was badly damaged, his bones and the functionality of his body are not working, making him pale. The man slowly lifted his neck only and looked towards Alexander, his expression was stunned. "A young man? A young man! Are you freaking serious, a young man massacred my gang," he cursed, but knowing that the person in front of him was a warrior, he shut up. "Master, no, young warrior, can you spare my life? I have lots of treasures and money. If you spare my life, I will give it all to you," he pleaded, his last straw of hope to live still hanging. Alexander walked with low strides as he looked down at him and responded, "If I kill you, doesn''t that mean everything your bandit gang had will belong to me?" he said, full of indifference. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, the man was now in a dilemma, not knowing what to offer to make the young man before him compromise. "You can''t buy your way out of this. Repent in hell for what you have done," Alexander said coldly, his voice calm yet terrifying. The man, hearing this, widened his eyes with a face full of unwillingness, "No¡ª" he shouted as the sword pierced his neck, stopping his vocal chords, making him shudder in pain until he slowly stopped moving, clearly dead. [You killed a level 9 Human. You''ve gained 13 exp.] Alexander surveyed the gruesome battlefield, but as he looked around, he felt nothing¡ªno guilt, no regret, no grief. His task was complete, and now, all he wanted to do was to go back home, away from the heavy stench of blood that hung in the air. Among the loot, a coin caught his attention as it spilled out from one of the five bags. "Hmm, is this what their money looks like?" he murmured, stepping closer. Bending down, he extended his hand to pick it up. Standing straight, he inspected the coin carefully, noticing its unusual design. An eagle with the head of a lion, he thought, turning it over in his hand. "This is definitely different from the money in my world. I wonder what this symbol means," he mused, examining the bronze surface closely. [The system detected that the Host was holding a coin. Would you like to convert it to your own currency?] As a holographic panel materialized in front of him, he inquired, "What would be the equivalent value if it were converted into my world''s currency?" [To exchange the currency known as Solaris in this world, the conversion rates are as follows: 1 Bronze Solaris = 10 Pesos 1 Silver Solaris = 20 Pesos 1 Gold Solaris = 100 Pesos 1 Solaris Bill = 1000 Pesos] The system showed that Alexander had a good grasp. Seeing this, his eyes turned starry, "What a great harvest!" he exclaimed. He then looked at the coins that were spread out, seeing some silver and bronze, but there was no gold coin or bill at all. So, he gathered all of them one by one. [The system has detected approximately 1,342 bronze Solaris and about 489 silver Solaris in your possession. Please wait while the system calculates the total amount.] [...] Alexander decided to wait, but only for a few moments later, the system displayed the total amount, leaving him speechless. "Was I really foolish to expect something huge? Why didn''t I just do the math myself?" he muttered with a wry smile. [Solaris conversion rate to pesos: 23,200] [Do you want to proceed with the deal?] "Yes," Alexander sighed, in disappointment. He had been hoping for millions, but reality had other plans. Suddenly, a thought brightened his face, "Wait a minute¡ªthis is their lair. That means there must be a vault where they keep more of these." His eyes glinted as he licked his lips and ventured further into the passage, curious about what lay ahead. After walking for a while, he found it¡ªa sight that made him grin and nearly drool. Stacks of bronze coins were piled up, and among them were actual bills and a few glittering gold coins. Thank you, you fools, he thought with satisfaction, grateful they hadn''t spent it all so he could claim it instead. "System calculate on how much is this" Alexander said excitedly. [It was detected that there are around 178,287 Bronze Solaris, 86,786 Silver Solaris, 21,091 Gold Solaris, and 3,001 Solaris Bill. Please wait while the system calculates the amount.] The system then began its wave of calculations as he waited, full of expectations. [Done. The Solaris conversion to pesos will earn you: 8,628,690 Pesos.] Seeing this amount, he couldn''t help but hiss. Even though he had billions on him from converting the Aether stones, having an additional 8 million was not a small amount for him. [Status Experience: 30,278/34,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 18 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 33 Strength: 125 Speed: 95 Agility: 80 Dexterity: 65 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 85 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 102,005 Pesos (Paused) Balance: 12,879,058 Pesos Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct}, {Toxin Nullifier} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Upon realizing that he had earned a substantial amount of money, he was overjoyed and chose to return, thereby concluding his mission which was unrelated to the system. Chapter 82 - 81 As he nodded his head with satisfaction, his affected heart no longer felt a little guilty due to the influence of money. Alexander then left the cave filled with corpses and the stench of blood. As his figure disappeared, the place became quiet as night. Suddenly someone appeared in thin air from the battlefield, a man not a human but so different than a human, the humanoid figure had red skin, black horns, and a long tail. The humanoid figure is clad in red pants secured by a yellow belt, boasting a muscular physique. Its arms and hands are adorned with flame tattoos and end in sharp claws. The creature''s eyes are wide, conveying a sinister expression. He surveyed the place with a contemptuous smile, seemingly unfazed by the scene before him. To him, it was clearly normal he was undoubtedly an experienced individual. "Alas, I was too late," he muttered, initially with a laugh. "I could have tasted it¡ªthe aroma was so enticing, so rich, so fragrant, ahhh!" As he finished, he scratched his face with his sharp claws, resembling a deranged patient. The nails, driven deep into his flesh, tore through his face, leaving a trail of crimson that spread like a spiderweb. Blood dripped from the wounds, staining the nails a gruesome red, and the rest cascaded to the ground, forming a pool of crimson beneath him. His eyes were blazed red with black pupils, radiating fury as his prey slipped away. "Why is he so fragrant? How can a human in a lower realm smell so good, why! Why!!!" he shouted, the bloodlust spreading throughout the cave, causing the ground to shake and the wind to disperse, even extinguishing the torches'' flames. His bloodlust was thirty times greater than Alexander''s, and his mere presence was enough to shatter mountains and crush any warrior who dared to face him. Fortunately, Alexander was already returning. Suddenly, the birds and crows near the cave were startled and took flight in a panic, as if terrified by something. Alexander, who was already a good distance away, stopped and looked back, his eyes narrowing in confusion. He just stopped and did not ponder it anymore as he then resumed his journey, assuming that some beast or creatures had frightened the birds. Knowing that beast in the night are very active in hunting preys. Inside the cave, as he subdued his bloodlust, the atmosphere began to stabilize, and the torchlight resumed its normal glow. What was astonishing was the speed of his healing; once he ceased scratching his face, the wounds closed so rapidly it was as if they had never existed, surpassing Alexander''s recovery by a hundredfold. The humanoid''s face bore a gloomy expression, a clear sign of his foul mood. He could no longer smell it, he was baffled by the impossibility of not sensing him, even with his True Sight. "Don''t bother trying to locate him. I''ve concealed his presence so thoroughly that you won''t find him, even if you wish to," a nonchalant voice resonated throughout the cave. Taken aback, the humanoid''s face shifted to one of wariness as he frantically scanned the area with anxious eyes. "Who are you? Come out! Are you too afraid to confront me directly?" The humanoid man sneered disdainfully, unafraid of the hidden enemy, having only been startled initially. "Me, afraid? A lowly demon like you dares to be so arrogant before me?" A calm voice responded as a portal, resembling a blue door, materialized from the void. Suddenly a silhouette vaguely a humanoid, with a head, torso, and limbs. However, the edges of its form aren''t smooth. They appear jagged and pixelated, as if the digital data defining its shape is being corrupted. Some areas seem to be dissolving into a haze of static, while others are momentarily solid before fading again. The humanoid figure, referred to as a demon, was startled by the entity''s appearance. As his foot touched the ground, it turned pixelated as though it was infected by a virus. Yet, when he lifted his foot, which was continuously morphing in shape and color, the ground restored itself to its original state. The demon regained his composure and gazed at the entity fearlessly. "So, you''re actually a broken human¡ªor should you even be called human? Nevertheless, since you''ve appeared before me, I will send you to the other world without pain," he declared, his smile broadening and his eyes emitting a crimson glow. The pixelated man simply stood there, gazing at him, devoid of a face¡ªno eyes, nose, or brows. Yet, the demon felt the weight of his stare. "You seem quite confident in your strength," the entity remarked, despite lacking a mouth. The clarity of his voice was unmistakable, as if the absence of a mouth posed no issue at all, this leaves the demon puzzled about the means of the entity used to communicate, arousing his suspicion about its ability to use tricks. "Or should I say, your recovery ability, am I correct?" the entity murmured. The demon, upon hearing this, was unfazed, having invaded every realm hundreds of thousands of years ago. Their abilities are known across the realms, heck even children from the most desolate places know of their special powers. "Are you scared? Ha! Even if you chop me into pieces and burn me to ashes, I will still live," he sneered with a face full of pride. This is why they have caused countless massacres over the centuries. Even the mightiest forces of the middle realms cannot kill a lesser demon, their only options is by sealing it away. This proves that a single lower-class demon is sufficient to wreak havoc in the lower realms. The entity remained silent, merely gazing at him as he uttered words that left him shocked and speechless. "You''re quite arrogant and presumptuous for a mere slave, huh?" the entity whispered to him. Initially taken aback, the demon quickly recovered his poise and responded, "Indeed, we are slaves, for we are nothing but lower-class demons, and as such, we are regarded as servants by those above our ranks," he declared, his tone was indifferent. "You''re aware of what I''m referring to, so cease your pretense," the entity stated, his voice was serene as the sea. Upon hearing this, the demon was so shocked that it was evident on his face. This information was such a taboo that they would rather die than speak of it; even under torture, they would not utter a word about their existence. For them, the beings behind them were entities to which their demon race could not hold a candle. Their power was so unfathomable that their special abilities seemed even more insane than theirs. He was utterly shocked, greatly shocked. Their existence had been forgotten and lost to time. How could this strange entity before him possibly know about them? sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You¡ªhow do you know this? We demons have always been tight-lipped. Even facing death, we wouldn''t speak of them. How do you know?" The demon stuttered, fear was evident in his gaze. One thought crossed his mind, yet he refused to believe it. It was impossible unless he was a Celestial Lord that had lived for millions of years. Throughout the realm, only one person held this title that he knew of, and it was their emperor. The demon became afraid of the entity in front of him as he took a step back. "So, I was correct? They are still alive, huh? Well, that''s hardly surprising, given that they are known as one of the most advanced lifeforms, second only to the race of high humans. It''s not really astonishing, considering it''s in their bloodline to live for millions of years, even without cultivating," the entity remarked, placing his glitching hand on his jaw, looking upward as if deep in thought. The demon, who was listening intently, remained skeptical. He was aware that the beings behind them were among the highest life forms, yet their true appearance he had never caught a glimpse of it, in his whole life. As for the ''High Human,'' another higher life form, this was the first time he had ever encountered this term. "After learning all of this, you''re not going to spare my life, are you?" the demon asked, facing him directly. The arrogance once present had now been replaced by fear. The demon race had known fear only once before, and that was hundreds of thousand years ago, at the hands of that cultivator. Since then, no other beings had caused them to flee merely at the sight of him. Yet, the entity before him now seemed no different from that cultivator. "It''s good that you recognize your fate for targeting my chosen successor. Allowing you to live and recount this encounter would be unwise. I am indifferent to your schemes of chaos across the realms, but since you''ve dared to threaten my Host who has only just begun his journey, I shall erase your existence first," the entity declared, pointing his index finger at him. The man felt a suffocating pressure, so intense it seemed as though a planet was crushing him, eliciting a pained groan. He lay on the ground, which caved in with a cracking sound that reverberated through the earth. The demon''s eyes were wide with fear, every hair on its body standing on end. Its mind screamed to run, to escape, but it was paralyzed. The entity that had appeared before him was once like an ordinary person, but now it had transformed into a being so imposing that the demon couldn''t even raise its head to meet its gaze. "Obliterate," the entity muttered, pointing at him. Suddenly, he was enveloped in spectral blue lights. His arms and legs began to fade, as if he were being erased from existence. He was not happy; he was angry, he was filled with endless regret. If only he had hidden beneath the earth with his companions, he might have survived. He was utterly reluctant, yet he found himself only able to hum as the pressure increased. The spectral lights, slowly consuming him, had engulfed everything until only his face was visible. Then, it too disintegrated into particles, leaving no evidence of the events that had unfolded. "This time, the realms will be thrown into chaos," the entity muttered, a hint of amusement in its voice. It took a step back, disappearing into the swirling portal that had materialized from thin air. "Another good movie to watch, if I''m right," it added, its voice fading into the void as the portal closed behind it. As he retreated, the door closed slowly, engulfing his figure entirely, as if he had never been there. Chapter 83 - 82 Going Back! [I''ve combined what would have been two chapters into one, as the chapters detailing his initial adventure were quite lengthy. I hope you enjoy it, dear readers!] After traveling just a few minutes, Alexander had already arrived at the sight of the village. He did not know the happenings, nor did he have any other idea what happened when he left. In the dead of night, with only the howling wind that is very much audible, he entered his current home. Once inside, the living room was deserted. He proceeded to his room, having already removed his armor beforehand. Even though he really loved the designs and the comfort it gave, he couldn''t just sleep with it on; it would make him sweat since it was a foolproof suite. As he opened the door, he was surprised that there was someone there. It was none other than Aeloria, who was lying straight in the bed with her eyes closed. Alexander, seeing this, just smiled. He then walked towards her, seeing her sleeping face that was filled with innocence and beauty. "She''s still charming even if she''s sleeping," Alexander muttered in a low voice, as he lowered his legs and caressed her face with her fingers. He was really mesmerized by this scene, but then shook his head since what he was doing was not right. He then stood up and decided to just sleep outside or even cultivate. Since cultivating can be more refreshing than sleeping, as he opened the door, Aeloria, who was in the bed, woke up and sat up in the bed, looking at him intently. "Alex, you''re back. Where are you going?" Aeloria spoke, looking at his drifting back. It was a question, if she really was asleep or just pretending. Alexander thought that she must have woken up because of him being so noisy, and even touching her face in the process. "I will be sleeping outside. Sorry for waking you up," he said, looking back to her. Aeloria, hearing this, did not agree with it, as she stood up and pulled his hand, pulling him towards the bed. "Isn''t this your room? Why would you sleep outside? This is not right," she said, her face serious. Alexander was stunned by her sudden change. It was really different from her usual self. This made him a little baffled as his consciousness came back, as they arrived on the bed. "Let''s sleep!" Aeloria spoke, as she pushed Alexander on the bed forcefully, making him surprised. She became so dominant all of a sudden, totally different from her gentle and caring side. Alexander was about to ask what the problem was, but he was shocked. His mouth was closed forcefully by soft lips, making him terrified. Why the sudden kiss? Being kissed so aggressively, he could not control himself anymore as he fought back. He held her in the waist, pulling her close, as the two of them sat in the bed. Aeloria sat on his lap, with her two hands on his cheeks. Alexander had seen a lot of movies with these kissing scenes, so he decided to insert his tongue in her mouth. Aeloria was petrified, but decided to just let Alexander do what he wanted. Her breathing became rigid and turbulent as her cheeks began to turn red. Her eyes turned misty and moist. After a few minutes of sharing emotions with each other, Alexander took back his lips. Feeling her heavy breathing, he decided to stop from that. Aeloria, seeing her chance to breathe, she curled her hands around his neck, looking at him seductively. She felt so hot in her lips that there was even some saliva dripping slowly, making her look like a baby. Alexander couldn''t help but chuckle. Hearing this, she was so embarrassed as she looked at him in the eye, "Why are you laughing?" she said, her eyes narrowing like a mad woman, but her voice was soft and gentle. Not knowing if she was really mad or shy. But she did not know that her current expression right now was so hot and sexy from Alexander''s point of view. Aeloria opened her mouth to speak, but Alexander leaned in close, pressing his lips gently against her neck. Whatever words she had were lost as she tilted her head back, closing her eyes and biting her lip, a quiet gasp escaping her. Alexander trailed his kisses along her delicate neck, drawing a soft moan from Aeloria as she shivered in his arms, her breaths quickening. He grazed her skin with his teeth, making her hum with delight. She pressed a finger to her lips, as her eyes fluttering closed as he shifted to gently lick the same spot, leaving a faint mark on her skin. His touch sent a thrill through her, and she instinctively leaned closer. Feeling her soft breast against his chest and the tension between them intensify, as Alexander''s heart pounded. Aeloria''s gentle movements pressed her closer, creating a warmth that left him breathless. His hard like rod was between her garden creating a colliding sensation where Aeloria began to bend her waist from side to side rubbing it with pleasure, making him wide awake. He decided to stop, as he pulled back, drawing a steadying breath. He knew if they continued, things might escalate. They hadn''t yet confirmed their relationship, and he felt it would be wrong to go further without a deeper commitment between them. His mind warned him as he took a deep breath to clear those impure thoughts. He stopped and looked at her as he put his hand on her cheeks, which were so red like they were burning. Aeloria just let him while glancing at his face, which was calm as the lake as he looked at her. Aeloria''s heart ached as doubt crept in. She worried that her eagerness had made Alexander see her as cheap woman, unworthy of respect. That is when fear and insecurity welled up in her eyes, and tears began to form. Alexander noticed the change immediately, and was stunned by the sudden shift in her mood. Panic rose within him, since he had no idea what had caused this. "Aeloria, what''s wrong? Why are you acting like this?" he asked gently, his tone soft and caring. "Look at you; you''re making me worry." he said. Hearing his warm words, Aeloria''s emotions overflowed. She buried her face against his chest, wrapping her arms around him tightly as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. She held back her sobs to avoid waking anyone else in the house. Alexander, meanwhile, was at a loss, he was caught in a dilemma as he tried to understand her sudden distress. "Aiyaa, come on, stop crying. You don''t want to look like a baby, do you?" Alexander teased gently, stroking her hair. Aeloria continued to sob quietly in his arms. After a few minutes of his comforting embrace, she stepped back, her expression was still clouded with sadness. "Isn''t it because¡­ you''re leaving us? And we might never see each other again?" she asked, her gaze downcast. Realizing what had been troubling her and why the sudden change, Alexander couldn''t help but chuckle softly. He reached out and pinched her cheeks, making her blush, though she kept her gaze fixed on him. "I didn''t get to finish explaining earlier," he said with a reassuring smile. "I am leaving, but if there''s a chance¡­ I''d love to come back." Though he couldn''t promise anything certain, he meant every word. She listened, her heart sinking but her resolve steady as she took in his words, waiting to hear the rest. "And if you want to come with me, I''d be more than happy to bring you both. My homeland is safe, without any dangers just like your place, so you''d be well-protected over their. But I won''t pressure you. Just know that coming back here might not be impossible¡ª but it only had a slim chance that you''d ever see this village again," he finished, watching as Aeloria absorbed his words. After a moment, she sighed in relief, feeling warmth at the thought that he wanted her and Anya to come with him. But she hadn''t decided yet; she would need to talk to Anya first. If Anya chose not to go, she knew that she has to decline Alexander''s offer, no matter how much it hurt her or even if she were to regret it in the future. She had made a promise to Anya''s mother to protect her, to raise her with love and guide her into becoming a kind, fulfilled young woman. That commitment lay deeply rooted in her heart, and she couldn''t abandon it, even if it meant saying goodbye to Alexander. "Don''t worry; you have time to think it over. We still have two days so take your time," Alexander said softly. "Let''s get some sleep¡ªyou look so exhausted." After that, he started to stand, but Aeloria instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him like a koala, her arms encircling his neck. Smiling, Alexander gently placed her down on the bed, where she finally relaxed her grip and settled beside him. "You should rest," he whispered, lying down next to her. As they settled together, Alexander wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close. For the first time that night, he let his thoughts quiet, content to simply be there with her, no other intentions in mind. Aeloria had imagined countless scenarios in her mind when Alexander held her close, but as time passed and he remained still, her eyelids grew heavy, and she eventually drifted into a peaceful sleep. When morning came, the two rose from bed, and Aeloria found a quiet moment to speak with Anya. She gently asked if Anya wanted to follow her big brother Alex. She didn''t try to sway her, wanting to hear Anya''s true feelings. Anya''s face fell at the news. The thought of her brother leaving for good weighed heavily on her, and the idea of following him felt bittersweet. If she chose to go, she would have little chance of seeing Grandma May and the villagers she loved again. Lost in thought, Anya looked down, struggling with the decision. Grandma May, who had come into the room and overheard the conversation, sighed knowingly. She had sensed that this day would come, though that didn''t make it any easier. Grandma May walked over to Anya, gently patting her head, "Anya, leaving the village could be a good thing for you and your sister. You know how dangerous it is here, don''t you? Do you really want to risk something bad happening to either of you?" she asked softly. Anya hearing this just lowered her head, her big round eyes are filling with tears as she slowly shook her head. "I know you love this village," Grandma May continued, her voice gentle but firm. "This is your home, your birthplace. But sometimes, moving on leads to a brighter future. If you go with your big brother Alex, you won''t have to worry about any danger to befall upon you or even hunger." Grandma May who was saying this could feel her own heart heavy with sadness and reluctance, but she steeled herself. Any sign of hesitation on her part would only make Anya''s choice harder, and she wanted both Aeloria and Anya to have a life filled with safety and opportunity, even if it meant leaving the village behind. "Anya, didn''t your big sister say that it''s not really impossible to visit back someday? So don''t give up hope. Wait for the right moment, and you can come see us whenever you can. This village will always be your home," Grandma May said with a warm smile. Anya, then wipe away her forming tears, as she nodded with a bright smile, "Alright, Grandma May, I''ll go with big brother Alex. It''s for my own good, and for my big sister too," she said, her voice filled with determination. "That''s my good girl," Grandma May said, pinching her cheek lovingly. From the side, Aeloria watched the exchange, feeling a deep gratitude toward Grandma May. No matter how reluctant she was to leave the old woman, who had become like a second mother to her, she knew this was the best decision for all of them. Alexander had no idea what transpired while he was out with Nendo discussing plans for a feast. Though he initially declined, Nendo was insistent, and in the end, Alexander agreed. During their conversation, Nendo asked about the events of the previous night. Alexander recounted what happened, though he kept some details to himself. Hearing this, Nendo''s tension seemed to ease, and the burden he carried gradually lifted. After spending some time sharing stories and laughing like brothers, Alexander returned home. Upon hearing that Aeloria and Anya had agreed to follow him, he let out a relieved sigh. He knew that this world was far too dangerous for the two of them, but if they were in his care, with the laws and structure of his world, they would be safe. "Young Alex, please don''t treat my two daughters badly," Grandma May said, her voice filled with concern. "Take care of them for me, will you? I''ve always considered them my family." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Aeloria and Anya couldn''t hold back their tears anymore as they embraced Grandma May. Alexander smiled at the heartfelt scene and, in that moment, made a vow filled with an unbreakable promise. "I promise, from the depths of my heart as the heavens as my witness, if I break this promise, I will be struck by lightning as my punishment." Just as the words left his mouth, a rumble of thunder echoed through the otherwise serene village, despite the bright sun. The sound of lightning made them all pause for a moment, but life continued on as usual, as if the heavens themselves had confirmed his vow. Grandma May, hearing his promise, let out a relieved sigh. The next day, the banquet began. There was an abundance of food, thanks to the beasts Alexander had slain. The village stockpile was filled for the next 5 to 6 months. The villagers celebrated Alexander''s departure and the farewell to both Aeloria and Anya. It was a joyous occasion, filled with laughter, food, and warm memories. But, as with all good things, the celebration eventually came to an end. Night fell, and with it, the last moments of their time together slipped away. When morning arrived, it marked the beginning of a new chapter for all of them. [You will be transported back in 5 minutes. Please be prepared.] The system prompted in his mind as the room grew quiet, filled with the emotions of impending separation. Grandma May, though heartbroken, smiled softly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Take care of them, Alex. I know you''ll make sure they''re safe and happy." Her voice trembled, but she remained strong, understanding that this was for their future. Aeloria and Anya stepped back from the embrace, their eyes still wet with tears. Anya wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to hold back the sobs, while Aeloria gave one last lingering look at the woman who had been like a mother to her. "Goodbye, Grandma May," Aeloria said softly, her voice breaking with emotion. "Thank you for everything." Anya also spoke, "Goodbye, Grandma May. Little Anya will miss you." "Take care, dear girls," Grandma May replied, her voice steady, though her heart was breaking. "May you both find happiness and safety." Nendo stood back, observing the exchange with quiet understanding. He then clasped Alexander''s shoulder one last time. "Look after them, Alex. This village will always be grateful for what you''ve done." Alexander nodded, his expression serious yet soft. "I will. Thank you, Nendo." The moment lingered, but the pressure of time was mounting. The system''s prompt sounded again, reminding him of what was to come. [You will be transported back in 3 minutes. Please be prepared.] "Alright, it''s time," Alexander said, his voice calm but carrying an underlying emotion. He gently took Aeloria and Anya''s hands, squeezing them both reassuringly. "Remember, this isn''t goodbye forever. We''ll be back." He turned inwardly, addressing the system, "System, use my Dimensional Passport so Aeloria and Anya can follow me back to my world." [Roger, Host] [One-time use item activated. Target: Aeloria and Anya.] [Notice: 1 minute remaining to be teleported.] As the system''s voice echoed in his mind, Alexander looked at the two girls, holding their hands tightly. "Thank you for everything," he said softly. "We''ll leave now." With the final countdown ticking away, a spectral blue light enveloped the three of them. In an instant, they vanished, leaving behind the village and the world they had known. Chapter 84 - 83 As they vanished from that world, the three of them materialized in the large room where Alexander had first teleported for his mission. "We''re here," Alexander muttered to the two as he released their hands. Hearing his words, the two opened their eyes, unaware of the tricks Alexander had used to make them disappear from sight as if it was a teleportation. Since Aeloria knew he was a warrior, perhaps it was normal for them to use such means for transportation. As the two opened their eyes, they were astounded by the luxury and grandeur before them. "Big brother Alex, is this your home?" Anya whispered in awe upon seeing the large bed. The expansive room was adorned with designs and furniture unlike anything they had seen before. Her downhearted expression, was evident earlier when she departed, and now it replaced by a look of amusement. "Cheering up a child is surprisingly simple," he murmured to himself, with a blank face. "Yes, this is my room. I''ll show you to your own personal room and that will be your bedroom, as it''s not proper for you and your big sister to share mine," Alexander said, noting Aeloria''s silent yet amazed expression. Alexander then opened the large door leading out of his room as they walked through the hallway. "Wow, big brother Alex, your home is like a kingdom; it''s so big and wide," Anya exclaimed, looking left and right at the paintings, vases, and other home decor she had never seen before. "Anya, don''t call me Alex, my real name is Alexander. Sorry for lying about it this whole time," he said as he patted her head. Anya just giggled and looked at him with a bright smile, "That''s okay, big brother Alexander, but I''ve already gotten used to calling you Alex. So, I''ll just stick to calling you big brother Alex," she replied. Aeloria, who was observing from the side, looked at Alexander and Anya as she mumbled, "So that''s not his real name. Well, the name isn''t really that far from his real name." After walking for a while, they arrived at a room somewhat distant from his own. Unlike his, which was separate from the others, this room was close to the others. As Alexander opened the door, the three of them entered. "This will be your room," he announced to the two who was full of anticipation. Hearing this, Anya was excited. She then ran towards the bed, climbing up at the fluffy and soft cushion of the foam, as she began to jump, clearly enjoying it. "Big sister, look! This bed is so soft. It''s so different from ours," Anya said excitedly, looking at her sister and inviting her to join. Seeing her actions, Aeloria panicked. She hurriedly carried Anya down and gently placed her on the floor. "Anya, be careful. This bed seems too expensive. Don''t break it by jumping," she reprimanded her with a serious tone. Anya who was very happy just now, was feeling sad from the reprimand, as she looked down. Seeing this, Aeloria''s heart melted, and she hugged her to apologize from the sudden outburst. Aeloria could see that this room¡ªno, this home¡ªwas expensive, just from the decorations alone was something she could not afford. Even the big hallway seemed infinite from their earlier walk. She knew that if Anya or she broke something, they would have to pay some big amounts of money. Alexander, seeing this, just shook his head and walked towards the two. "Look, this is my place. Let Anya enjoy her first day and if she ever breaks something, I''ll just buy a new one," he said to Aeloria, to let the child go. Feeling skeptical, Aeloria watched as Alexander placed his hands on her cheeks, causing her to blush with shyness. Alexander was taken aback by his hand, which seemed to move with a will of its own. He then centered himself, recalling his purpose from doing that, no I meant his hands from doing that. "Look, Aeloria, I know this is your first time seeing something so different, but trust me, if I can buy it in the first place, I can just buy another one. So let Anya go wild and enjoy her first day," he said softly. After a moment, Aeloria nodded and released Anya''s hand. Anya, who had been sad after being reprimanded, was overjoyed at her brother''s support as she smiled brightly. "Thank you very much, big brother, hehe," Anya giggled as she climbed back onto the bed, jumping up and down with glee. Aeloria, still not fully trusting Alexander, was horrified. Seeing that Aeloria was about to jump again, Alexander quickly pulled Aeloria close, surprising her. Her hand landed on his broad chest as their bodies were in close proximity. "Look, if you want to do it again, I''ll spank you," he threatened, their faces just inches apart. Hearing the inappropriate words, Aeloria stopped and looked at Anya, who was enjoying her life. Aeloria couldn''t help but lean her head against Alexander feeling safe, secure and warm. The two was looking at Anya, who is feeling more alive than ever before. "My decision is not wrong," he muttered inwardly, feeling relieved. He had been a little worried about their reaction to the place, but luckily, that didn''t seem to be the case. He just needed to give them more time to adapt to the modern era. "Big brother, are there any more fun places to see?" Anya asked, her face flushed and her skin damp with sweat as she jumped down from the bed. Seeing this, Aeloria leaned away from Alexander and reached over to gently wipe Anya''s brow. Watching the two of them, Alexander was suddenly reminded of their tattered clothes, which looked as if they were made for slaves. He walked over to the nearest wardrobe and pulled it open. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside, he found rows of neatly folded pajamas¡ªfor boys and girls, even children''s styles¡ªalong with undergarments for both genders. He couldn''t help but sigh at the abundancy of clothes. "A billion is a billion," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He selected two sets of pajamas, one for Aeloria and one for Anya, he then walked back over to where they sat on the bed. "Here are your clothes, you can wear these for the night," Alexander said, handing the sets to Aeloria and Anya. Even though they''d only left his world that morning, thanks to the system''s time freeze, it was still night here. Hearing Alexander''s words, the two glanced out the window, surprised to find the sky dark. Aeloria couldn''t help but wonder how night had come so quickly, but she kept her thoughts to herself, focusing on the clothing Alexander had placed on the bed. Anya immediately grabbed hers, her eyes lighting up at the designs¡ªa soft pink fabric dotted with little dolls and roses. Hugging the pajamas, she rubbed the soft material against her cheek, clearly delighted by the comfort. Aeloria, meanwhile, inspected her set with curiosity. She held it up, examining the fabric and the cut, looking rather puzzled as she stretched it between her hands. "Alex¡­ what is this?" she asked, using his alias name as she''d gotten used to calling it. Her tone was a mix of curiosity and confusion. Alexander just looked at her, momentarily taken aback by her unfamiliarity with something so basic. "Do they not have underwear in their world?" he mumbled inwardly, feeling a mix of shock and amusement. "Don''t tell me... she wasn''t wearing anything under that?" Alexander thought, his brain practically short-circuiting. He found his gaze involuntarily drawn downward, as if he could somehow see through her clothes to confirm his suspicion. Noticing his intense stare, Aeloria looked down, only to realize exactly where his gaze had landed. She felt a sudden wave of heat rising to her cheeks, a mixture of both shyness and embarrassment overcoming her. Caught red-handed, Alexander quickly coughed and turned his head, trying to regain his composure. "Uh¡­ this is called underwear," he explained, coughing awkwardly again. "It''s¡­ for women. You wear it to, uh, cover your private parts." he finished Aeloria stared at the garment in her hand and was stunned. Realizing its purpose, her face flushed bright red as she lowered it, holding it just below her navel with her gaze fixed downward. She couldn''t bring herself to look at Alexander, who had closed his eyes in embarrassment. "Are you¡­ not wearing any underwear right now?" The question slipped out before Alexander could stop himself, his intrusive thoughts winning over his self-control. Aeloria''s face turned an even deeper shade of red as she lowered her head, embarrassed. "No¡­ I just, well, used some cloth to cover," she replied softly, glancing anywhere but at him, No!. They stood there in thick, awkward silence, each trying to recover from the embarrassment. Aeloria couldn''t help but think, "No wonder he was staring so intently... how embarrassing!" Trying to diffuse the tension, Alexander cleared his throat and continued in a casual tone, "Actually, it''s pretty normal for women to wear these. I even have similar ones, but with, uh¡­ different designs." He paused, then reached back into the wardrobe, grabbing a towel. "Here, hold this," he said, handing it to Aeloria. "Come on, I''ll show you to the bathroom." Aeloria and Anya both nodded, following Alexander as he led them across the room to a private bathroom. When he opened the door, Aeloria''s eyes widened slightly. The bathroom was luxurious¡ªcomplete with a tub, a small spa area, and a spacious shower to one side. "This is¡­ a bathhouse?" Aeloria asked, marveling at the setup. "Sort of," Alexander replied, feeling a bit proud to show them something so grand. "You can use anything you like. So you can take your time to relax." "But first, let me show you how to use everything," Alexander began, leading Aeloria and Anya to the shower. "This is the shower. You just turn this knob, and the water comes out," he explained, twisting it to demonstrate. After that water began to streamed down immediately, and the two watched in amazement, their eyes widening as though it were magic. "To turn it off, you just turn it back, counterclockwise," he continued, showing them how to stop the water. "There''s also a button here. If you press this ''hot'' option, the water will be warm. There''s also a ''cold'' and a ''normal'' setting if you''d rather have cooler water." Moving to the toilet, Alexander pointed to a small button, "This is the toilet. After you use it, you press this button, and it will automatically flush. And over here," he pointed to the tub, "is the bath. You can fill it with warm water and just relax here if you want." He went over the essentials, showing them how to use the soap, shampoo, and scrub. He wanted to make sure they understood everything so that, if he wasn''t around, they''d be able to take care of themselves and use the facilities comfortably. "Alright," he said at last, "you can set your clothes and towels on the rack over there. Go ahead, take a shower and change. I''ll wait outside the bedroom." With a final nod, he left them to get comfortable. Returning to the bed, Alexander sat down and opened his system interface. There was a lot to check, like his income calculations, newly unlocked functions, and unclaimed money from the money generator. Chapter 85 - 84 "System, show me what I have earned during my adventure," Alexander called. A holographic panel appeared, displaying the results. He looked at it intently. [In the Generated Money, from your Earnings Generator the total accumulation for 18 days, 5 hours, and 3 minutes, you have earned: 1,746,055 Pesos] [For the Stock market, after being inactive for 18 days, 5 hours, and 4 minutes, you have earned nothing since you haven''t invested yet] Hearing this, he couldn''t help but feel downcast, thinking about how much more he could have earned if he hadn''t been inactive for about 18 days. "System, show me the passive investment," Alexander commanded. [Passive Investment: Stock Market: Invest any amount to earn 1% per hour passively. Stock Market Earnings {Level 1}: Increased the daily return by 1% will cost around 10,000,000 pesos. Real Estate: Investing: 100,000 pesos to earn a daily return of about 5%. Real Estate Earnings (Level 1): Increasing the daily return by 2% will cost approximately 1,000,000 pesos. Real Estate Investment Increase {Level 1}: Raising the maximum investment to 200,000 pesos would cost 500,000 pesos. ] Alexander paused for a bit to run some quick calculations based on his current balance of [14,625,113 Pesos] "If I put 14 million pesos into the stock market with a 1% return, that''s about [140,000 pesos] per day," he calculated, pleased with the passive income potential. He considered boosting the daily return rate by upgrade it to 10 million pesos, "If I do that, the remaining [4,625,113 Pesos] to be invested. I''d be earning at around [92,502 pesos] daily from the remaining amount, which isn''t bad at all," he thought, nodding in satisfaction. "That means over 1, with a 1% daily return, I''d bring in around [3,360,000 pesos]. And at 2%, that figure would double," he mused, a small smile spreading across his face. Turning his attention to real estate, Alexander thought aloud, "If I invest 100,000 pesos in real estate, my daily return is just [5,000 pesos]¡ªnot exactly impressive." He frowned, unimpressed by the smaller income this thing offers, especially compared to the stock market potential. The earnings generator remained a reliable source of income, but Alexander was increasingly drawn to the stock market''s faster growth potential. The real estate investments, even with a 2% upgrade, would only yield about [10,000 pesos] daily. A small amount compared to what he could achieve with stocks. And upgrading real estate increased returns but it would cost him around half a million pesos just to double the current rate, which felt hardly worth the steep price. "So let''s stick with the highest income" he uttered. Satisfied with his rough plan, he decided to explore the system''s other features. Redirecting the panel, he opened up the ''Expedition Mode''. A newer function the system had added. According to the description, it allowed him to earn unique rewards by sending his miniature self for expeditions, potentially opening another source of income or rare items. [Expedition Mode Description: You have unlocked the expedition mode. In this mode, you can send your miniature self on expeditions to gather resources, earn money, and discover rare items while you''re away. These expeditions will continue to generate rewards over time, allowing you to progress even when you are not actively playing. [Note: Upgrading the expedition mode will increase the time needed to claim the rewards.] [Expedition Mode {Level 1}: To upgrade Expedition mode to the next level, it will cost: 100,000,000,000 Pesos.] Instructions: You can make money overtime, but you''ll have to invest an amount that is not lower or higher than 1 million pesos. Potential Rewards: A 30-50% return on investment, a 50% chance to receive a lower grade item, and a 10% chance for a middle grade item. Additionally, boost items are available with a 10% probability. Expedition time: 1 day.] As Alexander read through the instructions for the, ''Expedition Mode'', his attention was briefly drawn to a cartoonish depiction of his miniature self¡ªwalking like a gentleman, with a briefcase in hand, as black shades perched on his face. The design was undeniably playful, almost comical, and for a moment, he couldn''t help but smile at this scene. However, when he looked at the cost to upgrade the mode, his smile faded. The price was an awe-aspiring [100 billion pesos] a sum that would drain his balance in an instant. "If I decide to upgrade this, I''d go broke in no time," he muttered to himself. He then proceeded from powering up the expedition mode, "System, start the expedition mode," he commanded. The system immediately complied, and he watched as his balance dropped to [13,625,113 pesos] After a moment, the panel closed, and he saw his miniature self begin its journey in the forest, walking in a repetitive cycle with no real progress. The sight felt almost absurd, and Alexander quickly decided to close the tab. Turning his attention back to the bigger picture, he commanded, "System, invest all of my remaining money in the stock market." He knew that investing all his remaining money in the stock market was the best move for growing his wealth, and now, he waited for the confirmation. [Roger that, Host. {-13,625,113 Pesos}. Remaining balance: {0}] Alexander nodded, glancing at the countdown for the expedition mode, watching the time continue to tick down. His focus shifted to the door as he heard it creak open. Aeloria stood there, giving off a different vibe, dressed in simple, loose pajamas that were a world apart from the rugged appearance she''d had just moments ago. The comfortable fabric fell delicately over her frame, softening her somewhat fierce allure into something gentler, even innocent. Her cat-like eyes, usually sharp and alert, now carried a warm, curious sparkle as she stepped into the room, perhaps slightly self-conscious under his lingering stare. The pajamas somehow added a layer of softness to her presence, making her seem like a young woman from a simpler, quieter life. Alexander couldn''t deny the effect. This rare glimpse of Aeloria in casual clothing made her beauty seem different, it held his attention in a way that felt entirely new. Realizing he had been staring, he cleared his throat and managed to speak, his voice softer than usual, "That¡­ that suits you." Aeloria blinked, taken aback by his tone, but a slight smile crept onto her face, she does not why but hearing his compliment made his heart bloomed. "Big brother Alex, that shower is really comfortable! Anya feels so cozy, and these clothes... they''re so fluffy and cute!" Anya exclaimed as she ran towards him, her wet hair dripping slightly. Alexander couldn''t help but smile as he looked at her. The pajamas, small and perfectly fitting, made her look like a little doll. He reached down and lifted her by the waist, easily raising her off the ground. Anya giggled, her laughter was light and carefree, "Big brother Alex, you''re tickling Anya!" she said as she giggles, the gecko then popped up on her head so suddenly. Alexander froze for a moment, his eyes widening as he noticed the little gecko. He hadn''t seen it when they left earlier. But then, he shook his head, telling himself he must have missed it due to the emotional atmosphere at that time. "Hehe, it''s because you''re so cute that big brother can''t help but hold you," Alexander said with a grin, his voice softening as he enjoyed the innocent moment. Anya''s giggles filled the room, her warmth and energy bringing a lightness to the atmosphere. Aeloria stood to the side, a warm smile on her face as she watched the scene unfold. Her heart swelled with affection as she observed the bond between Alexander and Anya. "My decision is not wrong," she thought to herself, feeling content as her eyes fluttered at the sight of the two of them. For a moment, it felt like they were a family, a sense of peace settling in the air. As Alexander spun Anya around, the little girl giggled and then suddenly stopped, as her stomach started growling. "Big brother Alex, Anya is so hungry," she said, looking up at him with big, puppy-dog eyes. Alexander chuckled softly and gently set her down, "Alright then, follow me downstairs. You too, Aeloria. That way, you won''t get lost," he said, motioning for Aeloria to follow. They then made their way out of the room, walking down the long hallway. As they passed several rooms, Aeloria couldn''t help but feel a sense of wonder. Finally, she spoke up, a question on her mind. "Alex, are you the only one who lives here?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion as she trailed behind, her eyes taking in the grandiosity of the house. "Your house is so big, yet there''s no one else around." The house was enormous, filled with countless rooms, yet there was no person. No one else but Alexander and the of them seemed to occupy the place. As they continued down the hall, Alexander gave a soft smile and responded to Aeloria''s question. "Actually, I''ve just bought this house, so I''m the only one living here. It''s my private manor, and I don''t hire anyone to work here since I don''t stay here all the time," he explained casually, continuing their walk. Aeloria nodded thoughtfully, processing his words. As they approached the grand staircase, both she and Anya were left in awe once again. The scale of the place was immense, and they hadn''t realized just how high up they were. Anya, her gaze upward, made a playful hand motion, as if trying to touch the massive chandelier that hung gracefully from the ceiling. "Big brother Alex, your house is really big. Anya is really satisfied," she said, puffing her cheeks in a way that made her look even more adorable. Alexander, taken aback for a moment by the pure innocence in her voice, couldn''t help but laugh. He reached out, shaking Anya''s wet hair playfully. She then closed her eyes in enjoyment, giggling as droplets of water flew from her hair. "Hehe, then what will happen if you''re not satisfied?" Alexander teased with a smile, looking at the little girl with fondness. "Nothing, big brother," Anya replied brightly, her smile as wide as ever, unbothered and happy in the moment. As they descended the grand staircase and made their way toward the expansive kitchen, both Aeloria and Anya looked around in awe, their expressions a mix of confusion and curiosity. The kitchen was like nothing they had ever seen, with appliances and features that felt completely foreign to them. Seeing their bewildered faces, Alexander couldn''t help but feel a bit amused. He began his explanation, pointing out various items. "This is the dishwasher, it washes the dishes for you," he said, before moving on to the next item. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And here we have the sink, where you wash your hands or clean things. This is the oven, where you cook food, and this is the refrigerator, it keeps food fresh." He pointed toward the stove. "And this stove can light up with fire when turned on." Aeloria and Anya stood there, eyes wide, seemingly in disbelief. Everything Alexander pointed out seemed so advanced and magical to the two. Once he was finished with the brief tour, Alexander moved toward one of the drawers. He opened it to reveal a mountain of cup noodles¡ªso many, in fact, that it seemed to stretch on endlessly. "10 billion is 10 billion," Alexander muttered to himself, inspecting the drawer. It was filled to the brim with different varieties of cup noodles. He opened another drawer, as more cup noodles are in sight. And another, still more. If there were an apocalypse, Alexander thought, that it would take months'' worth of food stocked up. He chuckled softly to himself, imagining the absurdity of it. "I guess I''ll never run out of food," he murmured. Alexander filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove, waiting for it to come to a boil. After a few minutes, the water was ready. He opened the three cups of noodles and carefully poured the boiling water into each one. He glanced over at the refrigerator, which was empty. He would need to go grocery shopping tomorrow to stock up on some essentials, like vegetables, to be healthy since cup noodles every day is not good. Once the noodles were ready, he set the cups on a wide dining table where Aeloria and Anya were sitting. "Here, eat up. But be careful, it''s hot," Alexander warned as he placed the spoon and fork beside the cups. Aeloria, being the attentive one, didn''t start eating right away. Instead, she leaned over to Anya and gently blew on the surface of her noodles, careful not to let her little one burn herself. It was a motherly gesture that made Alexander pause for a moment, watching the soft, caring side of Aeloria shine through. As she blew on the noodles, Aeloria couldn''t help but inhale the delicious aroma wafting up from the steaming cups. The scent made her stomach growl, and she couldn''t suppress the saliva that gathered in her mouth. It smelled so inviting, and despite the simple nature of the meal, it felt like a legendary meal. Chapter 86 - 85 Aeloria carefully continuing to blow on the noodles, ensuring the broth was cool enough for Anya. After a few moments, she gently scooped up some of the flavorful liquid and brought it close to Anya''s mouth. Anya eagerly took a sip, her eyes immediately lighting up in surprise. Her face brightened with joy, and her eyes widened in amazement. It was her first time tasting cup noodles, and the rich, savory flavor was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Growing up with simple, often bland food, Anya had never encountered such an explosion of taste. The warmth of the broth, combined with the bold, comforting flavor, was a delightful surprise. She giggled with joy, savoring each sip as if it were a precious treasure. "It''s so yummy!" she exclaimed, with eyes wide. With a wide smile, Anya reached for the cup, eager for more of this magical taste. Her small hand stretched out, her expression pleading in the most adorable way. Aeloria, seeing her enthusiasm, was taken aback for a moment. The little girl''s innocent desire for more was a sight that caught her off guard. "Is it really that good?" Aeloria asked, curiosity was vivid in her voice as she watched Anya enjoy the noodles. She wondered what the flavor was like, but didn''t dwell on it for too long. She scooped another spoonful of the flavorful broth, blowing gently on it to cool it down, before feeding it to Anya. As the noodles cooled, Anya eagerly took the spoon, savoring each bite with a wide smile, her joy was very contagious. Aeloria, noticing the warmth fading, finally took a sip of her own cup. It was still a bit hot, but with just a few gentle blows from her lips, the temperature became just right. As she tasted the broth, her eyes widened in surprise, mirroring Anya''s earlier expression. The rich, savory flavor was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Her face lit up with delight, and a smile spread across her lips. "It''s incredible!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with fascination. The warmth of the broth, combined with the explosion of flavors, made her feel comforted and joyful, like she had stumbled upon a hidden treasure. It was a simple yet extraordinary meal, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow down as she relished the experience. Alexander watched the two of them with a fond smile. Their reactions were completely understandable, given how simple and limited the food they were used to. For them, cup noodles were a whole new world of taste, full of rich, savory flavors and spices. He took another sip of his own cup, savoring the familiar warmth and taste it provided. He still remembered her cooking. Although it was his first time tasting it, he could say that it was good. However, coming from a more advanced world with a wide variety of cooking styles, he knew that it couldn''t quite compare to the culinary masterpieces he was used to. "Drink it slowly, and if you want more, just ask," Alexander said, finishing his sip as he prepared for a second round. Anya, with her empty cup already in hand, looked up at him with big, expectant eyes. "Big brother, Anya wants to eat the cup noodles again," she said, holding up the cup with a hopeful smile. "That fast!" he exclaimed in mild surprise. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He then stood up, walking toward the counter to grab another cup of noodles. After filling it with hot water, he made sure it was properly prepared before handing it back to her. "Here you go," he said, his tone amused, as he watched her eagerly take the cup. "Eat slowly, it''s hot. What about you, Aeloria? Do you want more?" Alexander asked her. Aeloria, feeling shy, nodded with her head down. Her cup was already empty, but she was too embarrassed to ask for more. Hearing his inquiry, she sighed in relief. Alexander, puzzled by her reaction, decided to prepare another cup. He filled it with hot water and passed it to her. "Here, wait for a while until it''s fully cooked," he instructed. Aeloria just nod her head. After a few moments, she began to savor the familiar yet different taste, her tongue exploring the new flavors as she made a sumptuous expression. As they finished their meal, Anya lay back in her chair with a satisfied expression. "Big brother Alex, Anya cannot handle it anymore. Anya is full, my stomach is about to explode," Anya said, looking at him with some noodles on her cheeks. Alexander couldn''t help but find this child adorable every time. He walked towards her and wiped her cheeks. "Next time, eat slowly and don''t eat too much, or you will become fat," Alexander said, pinching her soft nose. Hearing his words, Aeloria froze for a moment and touched her slightly rounded belly. "Does Alex hate fat women?" she asked, feeling a sense of crisis. Gaining weight back in the village was hard since they had to save lots of food due to scarcity. But because of Alexander''s care, providing food for weeks, their malnourished selves had become normal. Aeloria pinched the fabric of her clothes and felt the softness of her belly. "Am I turning fat?" she wondered, feeling conflicted. Alexander, unaware of the impact his words had on Aeloria, continued, "Also, my little baby, being fat or chubby is not really that bad. But since being fat is not good for your health, you have to maintain a proper diet to stay healthy, just like your big brother Alex," he said, pointing at himself with pride. "Yes, yes, big brother is awesome. Anya worships you greatly," Anya said, looking at him with idolization. Aeloria, hearing his words, sighed in relief but still felt the need to eat less or exercise properly to maintain her figure. She knew how good and charming her figure was, so she had to take care of it. "Alright, now that''s done, let''s go watch some TV," Alexander said, standing up and looking at the two who were done now. Hearing this, the two were confused, AGAIN. Another unfamiliar term, or you could say, a new word was being imprinted in their minds. Seeing their confused expressions, Alexander just chuckled and led them to the luxurious living room where a big flat-screen TV was present. It was accompanied by a sound system to provide high-quality entertainment. Alexander then motioned for the two to sit on the couch. Anya sat in the center while Aeloria sat on the side, wondering what kind of magical thing he was going to show this time. "Big brother, where is the TV? What does it do?" Anya asked, pressing her lap and looking at him excitedly. Alexander just smiled, pointing at the TV in front of them, which was turned off. Aeloria then directed her gaze at the TV, filled with confusion. "What is there to look at?" Aeloria muttered inwardly. She glanced at his pointed finger, then at the TV, which seemed like nothing more than a black painting, leaving her very confused. "Big brother Alex, you''re just tricking Anya. There''s nothing to see at all," she snorted, stopping herself from his pressing his hand on her lap, while sitting down on the soft couch like a spoiled brat. Alexander just smiled at her cute action, "Just wait for the magic to happen," he said as he picked up a black remote beside the couch. He pointed the remote at the TV and pressed the power button. Suddenly, the flat-screen TV glowed, and the brand name ''Razon'' appeared. Seeing the sudden burst of colors and light from what they thought was just a black painting, they were stunned. "Wow, big brother Alex, the painting is changing color and glowing!" Anya said in awe, looking at it. Aeloria was also speechless but quickly regained her composure. The surprises and shocks she had experienced so far were uncountable making him used to it. He then clicked on a random video about some guys in costumes, "It''s morphing time," the man on the TV said as he touched his watch. It began to glow, enveloping him in a bright light. As the light intensified, the man''s silhouette started to change. His casual clothes transformed into a sleek, red suit with intricate designs. A helmet materialized that had the design of a t-rex, completing his transformation into a Red Ranger. The once ordinary man now stood as a powerful hero, ready to take on any challenge. "Wow, big brother, this TV just caught a man, trapping him inside while giving him superpowers. He''s just like you, but you''re much cooler and also not trapped inside," Anya said, looking at the TV in amazement. The Red Ranger then began to move towards the enemy, who had human figures clad in dinosaur costumes. "Dino Saber!" he shouted. A saber that resembled a dinosaur appeared in his hand, one of his primary tools for melee combat when not relying on hand-to-hand martial arts. He slashed at the dino enemies, creating sparks as the blade swept through them. With each strike, he performed backflips and soared through the air, delivering a flurry of attacks. The saber was remarkably powerful, matching the strength of an enemy''s sword and mortally wounding the dino foes. The display was thrilling, showcasing the Red Ranger''s agility and strength. Suddenly, he was surrounded by lots of enemies. He exclaimed, revealing another weapon, "Dino Blaster!" A powerful weapon materialized in front of him, it was the Dino Blaster, a handgun-like laser that shoots small but surprisingly damaging blasts, capable of hurting even generals. "Dino Super Drive Charger, Engage!" he bellowed, holding the gun as it gathered energy at its end. "Dino Charger, Engage!" he shouted again, as it became even more powerful. "Dino Blast!" he yelled aloud, as the bullet flew like a laser, hitting the dino enemies and sending them flying from the explosion. The display of power was incredible, showcasing the Red Ranger''s strength even though he was sorrounded. ... Looking back, it feels cringe to watch this show now, although as a youngster, I adored it. The collection of DVDs I amassed is the evidence to show how much I enjoyed it back then. Growing up hits different. Chapter 87 - 86 As they finished watching the whole scene, Anya was having fun, and even Aeloria couldn''t help but be fascinated. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was the first time she had seen a human in a suit transform into a giant, shooting laser beams. Seeing their faces, Alexander was very much enjoying it as well. He then explained, "What you are watching is just a kids'' show. It''s not real," he uttered as the show finished and another scene started, showing the Red Ranger outside in space. "Not real? Big brother Alex, I don''t believe you. Anya can literally see that it''s a real person," Anya argued, her cheeks puffed up in disagreement. Alexander chuckled at her reaction, "I know it looks real, but it''s all special effects and acting. That''s the magic of TV and movies," he said, trying to put some sense. Anya still seemed skeptical, but she continued to watch the screen with wide-eyed wonder. Aeloria also didn''t believe him and sided with the little child. Alexander continued to explain, "Look, if you want to believe it, you two will look like fools in my hometown. On the TV, you can see that it''s a show made for kids. What they are using is called special effects. They are not real but edited," Alexander said. The two stared at him with blank faces, having no idea what he meant, "What''s special effects and edited, big brother Alex?" Anya asked, looking at him in confusion. Alexander stopped and thought for a while, finally sighing. He realized he would have to explain it in the simplest terms they could understand. After a while of explaining the functions of the TV and the variety of shows available, the two gradually understood what Alexander meant, making him breathe a sigh of relief. It took him about half an hour of explaining, during which he showed them other shows like cartoons and anime. "So that means I can watch anything I want on this TV, big brother Alex?" Anya asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yes, you can. You can watch any cartoons or even some action and romantic films," he responded with a smile. Hearing this, Anya was thrilled, shaking with excitement on the couch. Alexander, seeing this, handed her the remote and began teaching her how to use it. Thanks to his unique passive from his title ''Traveller'' that was shared with the two, understanding written words and language was not a problem. Anya listened carefully to his explanation on how to use the remote. As she took it and clicked some buttons, she selected a show. The screen lit up with an intro featuring a melon spinning, capturing her attention immediately. "Cocomelon" the sound system sounded. Anya got off the couch and moved closer to the TV hanging on the wall, watching the cartoon kid singing songs while playing with a toy in the night. Aeloria was also captivated by the show, humming along to the tune, "Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above..." Alexander looked at Anya, who was now sitting on the floor, legs crossed, completely engrossed in the TV. He then glanced at Aeloria. "Aeloria, I have something to talk about," he said softly. Aeloria, who had been enjoying the moment, paused and shifted her gaze towards Alexander, curiosity filling her eyes as she wondered what he wanted to discuss. Now that he had her attention, Alexander said, "I want to enroll Anya in a school. Would that be okay with you? She''s still young and needs to learn the principles of my hometown, and it would also give her the chance to make friends close to her age," he said, locking his gaze with hers. Hearing this, Aeloria didn''t agree immediately. She looked down and thought about it for a while. Memories of Anya''s childhood came flooding back, like how she hadn''t had the chance to play with other kids due to their hard life. She knew that sending Anya to school could offer her the opportunities and experiences she had missed out on. Rather than playing, Anya always followed her to gather food, wasting her youth along the way. Aeloria knew what school was, but back in her hometown, it was located hundreds of kilometers away. The transportation costs were high, and that didn''t even include the tuition. Moreover, the journey was fraught with dangers like wild beasts and bandits, which she feared the most. Even if the cost was high, Aeloria would work three times harder to afford it. But the danger was too great; she couldn''t bear the thought of sending Anya off on such a perilous journey. She was traumatized by bandits, terrified that Anya might be abducted and suffer the same fate as her mother. Bandits didn''t care about age, and Aeloria had heard many stories and news about such horrors, making her afraid to leave Anya alone. "Is the journey safe? Are there going to be beasts or bandits and bad people if she goes to school?" Aeloria asked with concern. Seeing the worry in her eyes, Alexander gently held her hands, which were squeezing the foam of the couch. She calmed down and waited for his response. "You don''t have to worry about that. My hometown is governed by law. Even though there are bad people, they are not active because they don''t want to get arrested," he replied reassuringly. "Also, I could hire a chauffeur, or you could say a driver, to take Anya to school and bring her home. If you''re really worried, we can visit the school together so you can see how safe and lively it is," he finished. Absorbing the information, Aeloria felt reluctant but knew that this was for Anya''s growth. Who was she to stop her from having such opportunities? "Alright then, I''ll agree, but let us check the school first. Is it also possible to stay with her for the day? I think she will not feel comfortable since your hometown is so different," Aeloria said with a condition. "Sure, that''s not a problem. It''s late at night, so you should rest now. Tomorrow, I''ll take you to the library, or you can find it since it''s not far from here. Also, you can watch more TV shows related to my hometown to understand more about my place," Alexander said, glancing at the time on his phone. Seeing the object in his hand, Aeloria was puzzled. Noticing her curious expression, Alexander explained, "This is called a smartphone. It''s like a miniature TV, but it''s a bit different. You can watch videos, play games, or even call and text someone," he said, passing her the phone. Aeloria took the phone, her eyes wide with wonder. She slowly explored its features, intrigued by the item in her hand. Alexander just watched her actions with a smile, glad to see her interest and excitement. She took it and was a little confused about how to use it. Alexander taught her step by step, showing her how to tap and swipe. After some time, she began to understand it a little. "I will buy you one tomorrow. With a phone, you can call me if any problem happens," he said as he watched her playing a tap money game. Observing that it appeared to be a game to outsiders, and the generated money was not being deposited into his account. If it did then it will be the greatest life hack if that were the case. "Let''s take a nap for now. Tomorrow, I have to go to work and will come back in the afternoon," he said. Aeloria then handed the phone back to him. Anya, who was called to sleep for the night, was reluctant since she loved watching the bald baby singing on TV. However, she didn''t want to anger her big sister, so she followed unwillingly. Alexander then turned off the TV and guided the two back to their rooms. He turned on the air conditioning, setting it to a comfortable coolness, and closed the window to ensure they wouldn''t leak out. "If you need anything, I will be in my room," Alexander said to Aeloria, who stood at the door while Anya was already lying in bed, covering her upper body with the quilt, enjoying its texture. Aeloria nodded as Alexander walked over to Anya, leaned down, and kissed her forehead, gently patting her head. "Alright then, Anya. Go to sleep now. You watch TV tomorrow since it was night, you have to know that looking at the screen for too long will hurt your eyes. Aeloria, don''t forget, if there are any problems, just find me in my room," Alexander said, standing up straight. With that, he left the room and went towards his own. Alexander then left the room, leaving Aeloria and Anya alone. He turned off the light and had already instructed Aeloria on how to turn it on and off. He headed to his own room, deciding to take a nap. Even though he didn''t need it at the moment, he wanted to relax, appreciating being back in his world. In a distant place, in a mansion, a middle-aged man stood in a wide and luxurious room, close to the window, gazing into the distance. His expression was unreadable, hinting at deep thoughts and perhaps a plan forming in his mind. The night was calm, but his mind was undoubtedly active, filled with ideas and intentions yet to be revealed. "Yuno, I want you to take a flight to watch and protect my son. If there are troubles that he cannot handle, I want you to deal with them. Now that he has already experienced the life of a normal person, his training has come to an end," the man said. It was none other than Alexander''s father, Max Ashbourne. behind him stood an elderly man, around 60-70 years old. "Your words are my command, master. I also cannot wait to see the growth of the young master after being exposed to the harsh realities of society," he said, bowing his head. This was Alexander''s personal butler from his childhood. Alexander referred to him as Uncle Yuno rather than a servant. However, due to certain circumstances, Yuno had been prohibited from interfering in his young master''s life. Now, with the master''s order, Yuno was once again ready to serve and protect Alexander, eager to witness his growth and support him in any way possible. "Since my son is currently living as a normal person, he still needs protection. That''s why I''m sending you. With you by his side, he will be safe, even if the whole world becomes his enemy," Alexander''s father, Max Ashbourne, said, his face remaining stoic as he continued to gaze at the scenery outside. Yuno kept bowing his head in approval, "That is the reason why I called you. You can go tomorrow morning, but remember, do not expose yourself. He harbors great resentment towards us after all," Max said, his voice unwavering. Yuno straightened up and replied, "Understood, master. I will ensure the young master''s safety without revealing my presence." ... That is, if he is still a normal person after all that. Chapter 88 - 87 He then left the room, while Alexander''s father continued to gaze at the distant mountain, deep in thought, though no one knew what he was contemplating. Back in Alexander''s room, he was having the best sleep of his life. As time passed, Alexander woke up and looked at the clock, realizing it was already 4 o''clock in the morning. He got up, took a shower, and put on some clothes. Once he was ready, he stepped out of his room and quietly walked down the hallway. He gently opened the door to the room where Aeloria and Anya were staying. Seeing that they were still sound asleep and seemed undisturbed by their surroundings, he closed the door quietly, ensuring they wouldn''t be woken up. Alexander continued down the grand staircase, making his way through the manor. He exited the large estate and walked all the way to the gate. He noticed the two security guards still diligently guarding the place and decided to give them a bonus for their dedication. Seeing the owner already awake so early, one of the guards opened the huge gate. "Are the two of you not tired at all?" Alexander asked, looking at them. Their faces were serious and sharp, clearly indicating they were not ordinary people. With his heightened senses, he could tell these security guards had exceptional abilities. "Young master, you don''t have to worry about us. We served in the army, so this is just normal for us," one of the men said with a smile. The other nodded in agreement. Before they retired, their work was much harder. Guarding this manor, where they could simply stand and get paid, was something they were more than happy to accept. Alexander appreciated their dedication and decided to make sure they were well-rewarded for their commitment in doing their job. Hearing their answers and understanding why they exuded the aura of an experience figther, Alexander nodded in acceptance. "Oh yeah, if someone is looking for me, just tell them I will be back. Keep up the good job, I will triple your salary at the end of the month," Alexander said with a smile. The guards hearing this were thrilled, not just because their salary would be double but tripled, working for the rich truly had its perks. Alexander then walked along the path leading out of ''Summit Heights.'' He encountered the familiar security guards who greeted him and offered him a ride down the mountain, but he politely declined, preferring to walk. After walking for a few minutes and arriving at the base of the mountain by the roadside, he noticed a restaurant, though it was still closed. It was understandable since it was so early in the morning, that there is no sunrise. So, he decided to walk a bit further, heading toward the inner skirts of the city to see what else he might find. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He found a small roadside restaurant that was already open. Walking towards it, he saw a variety of delicious dishes on display, like Adobo, Kaldereta, Afritada, and many more. Behind the counter, a middle-aged woman with a chubby face, wearing a hair net and apron, was surprised to see a customer so early in the morning. The young man''s handsome appearance caught her off guard. Smiling warmly, she asked, "Is there any food that you like, young man? It''s still hot, and I can tell you it tastes good." The woman had a bit of a rounded figure, but she had a charm that hinted at her youthful attractiveness. Time might have added a few lines and curves, but her kind eyes and friendly demeanor still shone through. "System, how much have I earned today?" he inquired silently. [From your investment in the stock market, you have earned a total of {1,362,511 Pesos} in 7 hours. From the earnings generator, you have earned {28,750 Pesos} in 7 hours, 11 minutes, and 11 seconds.] [Your total earnings amount to {1,391,261} Pesos. Would you like to claim it?] "Yes" Alexander replied in his mind. [Status Experience: 30,278/34,000 Name: Alexander Ashbourne Free Points: 18 Title: {Traveller} {Saberwolf Slayer} Level: 33 Strength: 125 Speed: 95 Agility: 80 Dexterity: 65 Intelligence: 7 {Maximum is 10} Defense: 85 Charisma: 10 {MAX} Earnings: 0 Pesos Balance: 1,391,261 Skills: {Heart Of Stone[UN], {Berserker Instinct}, {Toxin Nullifier} Techniques: {Serpents Coil}, {Vital Draw Technique} Weapons: {Infernal Fury}] Alexander''s phone buzzed as the money was cashed in. He turned to the kind aunt, the owner of the small restaurant, and replied, "I want to order 2 Adobos and two Sinigang, Auntie," pointing at the dishes. For Adobo, which you might already be familiar with, Sinigang is a classic Filipino soup characterized by its sour and savory medley of flavors. It''s a popular comfort food in the Philippines, usually served on its own or paired with steamed rice, much like Adobo. "That''s good, young man. I''ll pack it up right now," the aunt said, her eyes sparkling with delight at earning a substantial sum from her first customer. She carefully scooped the two dishes into containers, ensuring they were securely packed. She wrapped them in another layer of plastic to make sure they wouldn''t tear during Alexander''s walk. Alexander thanked her and took the warm packages, feeling grateful for the delicious breakfast they would soon enjoy. "Oh, Auntie, could you please add rice for about 8 servings?" Alexander asked with a smile. The woman''s face lit up with excitement as she quickly set about fulfilling his request. After preparing everything, she looked at the handsome young man and calculated the total amount. "That would be a total of 280 Pesos, young man," the kind aunt said with a warm smile. Alexander nodded and reached into his pocket, only to find his bank card. He realized he had forgotten to bring any cash and couldn''t help but smack his forehead in embarrassment. "Auntie, do you accept digital payments? I didn''t realize I didn''t bring any money with me," he asked, holding up his phone. The middle-aged woman looked a bit troubled and replied, "I''m sorry, young man. I don''t have a phone, and I don''t accept digital payments. Buying one is expensive, and I would rather spend the money on my daughter''s tuition. Plus, I''m not very fond of using gadgets," she explained, with an embarrassed tone. "Young man, it''s not that I don''t want to, but I really don''t have a phone. I''m sorry," the kind aunt said with a wry smile. Seeing her troubled face, Alexander wasn''t angry, knowing it was his fault. Suddenly, a voice behind him caught his attention. "You can just pay me, young man. I have cash here," a mature woman''s voice reached his ears. Turning around, he saw a woman wearing a big hat, shades, and a mask. Hearing her offer, Alexander was delighted. "Really?" he asked, his charming smile lighting up his face. The woman who was staring at him and when he turned around, she was stunned. She couldn''t believe such a handsome young man actually existed. His charm was greater than that of any celebrity she had ever seen. His aura was different¡ªnot the soft and delicate kind, but one that seemed honed and refined through experience. His presence was captivating, exuding a blend of strength and sophistication that left her in awe. The mature woman stared at him for a long moment before coughing lightly and replying, "Yes, since I also want to buy something, how much is his order, Auntie?" She felt embarrassed for having looked at him for such a long time. The kind aunt, seeing the woman who seemed to be covering herself up, smiled widely. "His total order would be 280 Pesos, young lady," the aunt said, noting the woman appeared to be a rich lady, since the clothes is grand and luxurious. "I see, here is the payment. I don''t have any change, is this okay?" the mature woman said, walking close to the counter and pulling out a 1,000 Pesos bill from her purse. "Yes, don''t worry Ms. I have change here," the aunt responded, her smile widening as she took the money. Alexander could not help but thanked the mature woman for her kindness and patience, feeling grateful for the unexpected help. The woman then placed her order. "I see, then I''d like to order your specialty Sinigang and three servings of rice, please, and could you wrap it up to go?" she requested. The aunt prepared the order, calculating the total. "Including the young man''s order, the total comes to 410 Pesos," she said. The mature woman nodded and paid the bill, receiving her change. She then started to walk away when Alexander followed her. "Excuse me, Ms., you forgot my payment. Could you tell me your account number so I can transfer it to you?" Alexander asked, seeing that she was about to leave. Hearing his words, the woman remembered and took out her phone. She navigated to the app and showed him her account number. Alexander quickly entered the account number into his phone and sent the amount. [-1,000 Pesos] The woman heard the notification sound, looked at her phone, and saw that Alexander had transferred 1,000 Pesos, which stunned her. "Thanks for the help, Ms. Consider the extra as a tip. I''ll be going now, bye," Alexander said, thanking the kind woman and bidding his farewell as he began to walk away. The woman stood frozen on the spot, unable to utter a word. She glanced at Alexander''s back, feeling amused by his generosity. She had actually received a tip from a young man, and didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. She then walked towards the parking spot, where her sports car, a McLaren 570S, was parked. She put the food she ordered on the empty seat and drove away. Alexander then hailed a taxi and instructed it to take him to his destination. Looking at the time, it was already 5:23 am. He thought that Aeloria and Anya might be awake soon, and he also needed to prepare for work. ... Can you please leave a review, also, please vote my novel with power stone and golden ticket. Chapter 89 - 88 As Alexander rode a taxi all the way to the mountain, arriving at the entrance gate of ''Summit Heights'', the security guard, Kent, seeing the familiar passenger, nodded at his other buddies to let the car in. Arriving at his manor, the driver was shocked that the simple young man buying breakfast was actually a rich person. "Rich people really had a taste for pretending to be poor," he thought inwardly. "This fetish is kind of good though, Alas I''m poor" he said shaking his head in dissapointment. The fare was only 265 pesos, luckily the driver accept digital payment, so he wasn''t troubled. After paying 1,000 pesos, the driver was happy from the huge tip. He said his goodbye as drove down to leave this place. Alexander then saw the two who had already opened up the gate. "Young master, there was a woman here earlier this morning; I believe she''s the person you were referring to. I told her that you had gone out on business and would return later," said the security guard named Lewis. Lewis noted that about ten minutes after the young master had left, a woman emerged from the house, leaving him astonished. She was not just any ordinary woman, but a striking beauty. He was baffled to learn that a goddess actually resided in the manor. As he guarded the entrance, he noticed the young master arrived without any company, leaving him puzzled about how his boss had brought this woman here. The woman then inquired about his location, Lewis and his fellow security guard, Andre Bon, responded with utmost respect. After listening to their explanation, the woman thanked them and proceeded inside. They were in a daze looking at her fading back, filled with grace even her voice was so soft just like a melody in ancient times. Hearing this, Alexander was surprised that Aeloria had woken up just minutes after he left. He nodded to the two and entered the manor. Inside, he could hear the sound of a TV in use. As he approached the living room, he found Aeloria watching ''Cocomelon'' on TV. She had already learned how to turn the TV on and off, and how to search for and switch between videos. Aeloria was intently watching a bald baby on TV taking a shower and singing, "Let''s take a bath, take a bath. A warm and bubbly bath..." He couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight; he had never seen anyone watch a children''s show with such seriousness. "Aeloria, is Anya awake?" he called out. Startled from her focus on the TV, Aeloria glanced sideways and noticed Alexander standing there, holding something in his hands. "Alex, you''re back! I''ve been looking everywhere for you," Aeloria exclaimed, rising to her feet and taking the plastic bag from his hands where the food was contained. With this slight gesture, it can still be called help right? "What is this?" Aeloria asked, examining the plastic in her hands. "Oh, that''s today''s breakfast. It''s almost 6, isn''t Anya awake yet?" Alexander inquired. Aeloria shook her head in response, yet she decided to check on Anya once more, having last done so about half an hour earlier. When she returned, she was clasping Anya''s hands, her eyes still hazy and sleepy. "Good morning, Big Brother Alex," Anya said with a weary expression, her hair was disheveled. "You sleepy child, how was your night sleep in the first day?" Alexander asked, approaching her and patting her head. Anya then released Aeloria''s hands, stretching her arms out, signaling she wanted to be carried. Alexander replied by lifting her into his arms. "So, how was your sleep? Was it comfortable?" he inquired, playfully pinching her nose. Anya giggled when being pinched, she also felt a slight tickle from the touch. "The room was so cold and refreshing, big brother. Anya loved it very much," Anya exclaimed, puzzled because the window was closed, yet it was cold. "Yeah, Alex, why is the room cold? The windows were shut, and when I approached the object that was releasing cold air, I discovered it was actually an artifact. Is it also referred to as a machine?" Aeloria inquired. "Yes, it''s a machine that generates cold and refreshing air; it''s called an air conditioner. Cool, right?" he replied with a smile. Aeloria nodded his head in approval, as it was indeed cool to generate cold wind, and her views were greatly broadened by Alexander. "Alright, that''s enough for now. Anya, why don''t you look at your big sister''s hands?" Alexander suggested to the little girl in his arms. Hearing his words, she shifted her gaze and noticed a wrapped package. "What is that, Big Brother Alex?" she inquired, her eyes wide with wonder. Observing her expression, Alexander couldn''t resist the charm of her cuteness and gently pressed his cheek to hers, he was very much too attracted the little child. Anya, taken by surprise, could only whimper and giggle in response. "Big brother, Anya feels ticklish," she said, chuckle softly. Alexander then leaned back and announced, "That''s your food for today. Let''s go have breakfast," he said. As he glanced at Aeloria, who was smiling at him, leaving him to wonder if the girl had slept well that night since his smile was so bright. Upon their arrival in the kitchen, Alexander reached for some bowls, only to find Aeloria had already gotten them from the drawers, impressing him with her swift adaptability. She had quickly become accustomed to her surroundings since her first day. Alexander proceeded to open the plastic containers and served the Adobo and Sinigang into the large bowls, which were spacious enough for both dishes. Next, Alexander gathered plates and other utensils. With everything set, he placed some rice on the plates and invited Anya to select her preferred dish. "Big brother Alex, Anya wants this," she said, pointing at the Adobo, wondering why its broth is black. "Good eye, Anya. This is called an Adobo a Chicken Adobo. There is also an Adobo made with pork, but unfortunately, the aunt who sells it had none," Alexander explained, scooping some broth and a piece of chicken onto her plate. Alexander assisted Aeloria by serving some rice and selecting the sinigang for her to try the taste. "Try this, Aeloria. I promise you, it tastes good," Alexander said with a smile as he served her. Aeloria expressed her gratitude, and he responded with a smile before standing up to retrieve a pitcher of cold water from the refrigerator. He then took three glasses and set them in the center of the table. He meticulously filled each glass and positioned them in front of Aeloria and Anya. Little Anya, with her small hands, excitedly reached for her fork and spoon. She looked curiously at the unfamiliar dish before her, Adobo, with its rich, dark sauce and tender pieces of meat. Her eyes widened in anticipation as she carefully cut a small piece and brought it to her mouth. The moment the flavors hit her tongue, her eyes lit up with surprise and delight. The savory, slightly tangy taste of the soy sauce and vinegar mingled with the sweetness of the caramelized onions and garlic, creating a burst of flavors she had never experienced before. ... Author here, its not like she knows the ingredients its just me the author adding the details. ... Anya chewed thoughtfully, her eyebrows raising in wonder. She took another bite, this time with a piece of the tender, marinated meat, and her face broke into a wide, toothy grin. "This is yummy!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine joy and excitement. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She quickly took another bite, savoring the delicious new flavors, her small feet swinging happily beneath her chair. Alexander watched with amusement and satisfaction, glad to see Anya enjoying her meal so much. The new dish had quickly become a new favorite for the little girl, making the breakfast all the more special. Aeloria seeing her cute expression, turned her attention to her own plate. The rice was mixed with the broth of sinigang, creating a fragrant, steaming mixture. She could see pieces of pork nestled among the vegetables, their aroma tantalizing her senses. Curious, she picked up her spoon and dipped it into the broth, lifting it to her lips. As the first taste hit her tongue, her eyes widened in surprise. The broth was a perfect balance of sour and savory, the tamarind giving it a refreshing tang that contrasted beautifully with the rich, hearty flavors of the pork and vegetables. She took another spoonful, this time with a piece of the tender pork. The meat was succulent and flavorful, having absorbed the delicious broth. She savored the blend of tastes and textures, feeling a warm, comforting sensation spread through her. "This is even better than the meal we had last night; I can''t believe it''s possible to make such a delicacy," she uttered, as if on the verge of tears. Aeloria couldn''t help but smile from this, totally delighted by the unexpected pleasure of the meal. The sinigang was unlike anything she had tasted before, its unique flavors creating an unforgettable dining experience. Noticing her enjoyment, Alexander asked, "How do you like it?" "It''s wonderful," Aeloria replied, her eyes shining." "The flavors are so different and otherworldly, yet it is absolutely delightful. What''s the name of it again, Alex?" she asked, the name of the dish again. Since the taste somehow wash away her memory. "The dishes are called Adobo and Sinigang, the sinigang is a type of soup or stew if you want to know," Alexander replied, taking a bite of his own plate. Aeloria hummed in acknowledgment, savoring the blissful taste as they enjoyed the time of their lives. Meanwhile, in an underground bar, a man with a burn mark on his face, dressed in a black suit, glanced at his assistant from the couch. Chapter 90 - 89 "Is everything prepared, Ethan?" The man said, sipping a glass of wine. Like who would drink a wine so early in the morning? Ethan, standing across the table, adjusted his glasses and nodded, "It''s done, boss. Everything is prepared. We''re just waiting for Ms. Valentine to walk into the trap," he stated. Jonathan smirked with delight upon hearing this, "Is the location secure? Make sure to be thorough and leave no trace of our plans," he instructed. "Yes, boss, everything is well prepared. We made sure there are no witnesses during our act. Also, the location will be in a deep mountain in an abandoned factory," Ethan said, his voice unwavering. Jonathan just nods his head, "What about the expert I told you about? Is he coming tonight? Since our plan will be initiated tonight. So, no problem must happen at that time," he asked, his voice still firm. "I assure you, boss, that everything is well planned. After agreeing to the deal, he had already taken a ride to come. He will be arriving this afternoon at the port," Ethan assured him. "I see," Jonathan said, feeling his heart being squeezed. One billion was gone just like that. But looking at the bright side, it was worth it. The money he had accumulated was thanks to selling drugs, doing illegal things like selling human products. So that''s why he could come up with a billion, but if he tried to come up with another billion? The answer is not possible, since he had only 1 billion for all of his years in working. But taking a loan is possible, but the question is if they can provide him with it. "Make sure to fetch him with a ride and remember to act respectful no matter what happens. As of today, the name Lancaster will cease to exist in this city," he declared, with a deadly smile. Ethan nodded with a harrumphing smile as well and responded, "Don''t forget the little kid, boss." Jonathan, hearing this, could not help but be blank for a moment. As he exclaimed, "I almost forgot about this kid! He''s been making trouble since yesterday. How could I forget such a thing? When you abduct that Valentine woman, call him and let him come alone to the place. We''re going to get rid of that troublemaker for good," he said, not even bothering to look at Alexander since what could a kid do if he only knows a few tricks? This time, they were prepared. They had guns, so the plan was full-proof this time. Ethan, hearing this, was delighted. He was really angered, feeling full of shame from that kid acting arrogant yesterday. Now he could vent it out tonight. His eyes glinted with malice, eagerly anticipating the impending event. Alexander, who had no idea that the ''Black Serpent Gant'' was already planning something big, he was very much busy in his own world, like enjoying his meal. Once they were finished, Alexander placed the dirty plates and bowls in the dishwasher and left the glass cups in the sink. He then gave the two a tour, watching as they gazed in awe. This was only the beginning; since the house was far larger than they could imagine. "This is the library," Alexander said, gesturing to the shelves lined with books. "If you want to learn more about my hometown, everything you need is here." he stated towards Aeloria. She then stared at the vast number of books, feeling overwhelmed. If she planned to read them all, it would take her a decade to finish. "If you need anything else, just ask the man with uniform outside who you spoke with earlier today," he said. "I''ll leave my number with them in case any issues come up. So, you can give me a call" he finished. At that moment, he noticed Anya holding a book with colorful pictures, was sitting on the floor reading the book with the cover of a girl in red dress. While Pascal was perched on her shoulder as they read ''Little Red Riding Hood'' together. "Haha, Anya already beat you to it. I''ll be leaving now, Aeloria, since I have work today," Alexander said to her. Aeloria, though reluctant, knew she had no choice but to accept that Alexander was going to work. She couldn''t help but feel a pang of loneliness the mere though of it. The realization that she was becoming someone who merely waited for her partner to return home, and relying on the benefits of his hard work, gnawed at her. The thought alone made her resolve to find her own path and purpose, determined to help in her own way. So that''s why she had to help herself first, and her first goal was to understand the rules and the machines that were everywhere. She looked at the books with determination in her eyes. Seeing her resolute gaze, Alexander didn''t know what was going on in her mind. He bid his goodbye again. Aeloria was brought back from her thoughts hugged him. "Thank you very much, Alex," she said warmly, a beautiful smile blooming on her face. She could truly feel that Alex''s homeland was very different from hers. The things here were otherworldly, making her wonder if she was really in another world. Feeling the two marshmallows'' softness against his broad chest, he didn''t let his thoughts run wild as he waited for her to let go. "Take care of yourself at work," Aeloria said with a smile. Alexander nodded and stepped out. As he exited the place, he saw the two security guards, Andre Bon and Lewis. "Can you buy my companions inside the manor some lunch this afternoon? Since I will not be back due to work," he asked Lewis, hoping it wouldn''t be an inconvenience. While this wasn''t part of their usual security duties, Lewis looked at Andre Bon, who nodded in agreement. Understanding that their boss was making a request, they both agreed willingly. After all, going the extra mile for Alexander was never a problem. It''s only purchasing lunch, so why wouldn''t they accept it? "Certainly, young master, I will follow your instructions," Lewis said, giving a salute. Alexander smiled wryly at his action, "At ease, Uncle Lewis. I''m not a soldier, don''t do that. Also, can you show me your digital bank account? I''m not going to let you pay with your allowance, of course," he said, asking to see the account. Lewis straightened himself and took out his phone, navigating to the app and showing it to Alexander. "Here it is, young master," he responded, his voice deep. Alexander glanced at the screen, tapped a few times on his phone, and then clicked confirm. A notification then sounded on Lewis''s phone. Lewis stared at his phone, stunned by what he saw. Andre Bon glanced over and was equally shocked. "Young master, isn''t it just buying lunch? Why is it over 20,000 pesos? This is almost our entire salary," Lewis said, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Alexander just smiled gleefully and replied, "Just buy some dishes to take out. You can use the remaining money to buy whatever you want, and for transportation costs, of course. Also, here''s my number. If my companions inside need to reach me, just give me a call," he said, handing over his number. The two guards watched as Lewis stood there blankly, adding Alexander''s number to his contact list. As Alexander walked away, they continued to stare after him, dumbfoundedly. "Hey, Lewis, do you think we can buy beer with this? He said we can buy whatever we want, right?" Andre Bon whispered, like a ghost in his ear. Lewis, snapping out of his daze, frowned, "Andre, are you stupid? You know we''re on duty. If we get drunk, we''re done for. Besides, our boss has been very generous. I don''t want to risk getting fired," he retorted. "Hey, hey, calm down, my brotha. I''m just joking. Why take it so seriously? But still, what kind of job does the young master do afford this?" Andre Bon pondered. Lewis was also curious but shook his head. Their job was to guard, not gossip. "We shouldn''t pry too much into the boss''s job," he replied, "but if you think about it, it must involve billions. The manor alone is worth a fortune." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Andre Bon hearing this nodded in acceptance. If they knew that Alexander''s job was a waiter with a salary of 1,000 pesos per day, they would be shocked beyond belief. What kind of person would own a manor worth billions and pretend to be poor by working as a waiter? If they found out, they wouldn''t know how to react. As Alexander approached the gate of ''Summit Heights,'' he was offered a ride by Kent, which he accepted. Since walking down, the road would make him late, and it was a hassle. After settling into the passenger seat, Kent droves down and asked for the destination. Alexander gave him the address, and Kent followed it. As they drove, Kent kept glancing at the rearview mirror, making Alexander feel awkward. With his heightened senses, he noticed every small peek. "Kent, is there a problem? You''ve been glancing at me for some time now," Alexander decided to asked. Caught in the act, Kent wasn''t embarrassed. He slowed down the car and looked back at Alexander. Feeling his intense gaze, Alexander felt a sense of dread, as sweat forming on his face. "Is he gay, just waiting for a moment to strike?" he thought, terrified by the mere idea. Kent''s piercing eyes scanned him from head to toe before he finally spoke. "Young master, forgive me for asking something personal. But you just look so different," he stated. Alexander, caught off guard, sighed in relief that it wasn''t what he feared. "Really? How so?" he asked, clearly confused. He was still himself, so what kind of change could Kent be seeing in him? "Young master, I can''t quite put my finger on it, but you seem different from when I last saw you. Back then, you had an air of nobility surrounding you, just like those families that are groomed properly. But now, there''s something more. You exude a powerful presence, like a formidable soldier or warrior. Your aura alone makes me feel a sense of pressure just by looking at you." He said with a shudder looking at the road. Alexander narrowed his brows at Kent''s explanation. After a moment of thought, he realized the reason for the change in his aura. His experiences from the battles, and the leveling up had honed his presence, transforming him from a naive newcomer into a formidable force, much like a newborn calf growing into a powerful adult. Chapter 91 - 90 Viper Ronin Alexander decided to be dropped off across from the restaurant and paid Kent 1,000 pesos another huge tip that is. Kent then thanked him profusely before driving back to continue his duties. As Alexander watched the car fade into the distance, he turned his gaze towards the restaurant and noticed Claire watching him. After checking the road to ensure it was clear, he crossed over to her. "Good morning, Claire," he greeted. Claire just nodded in acknowledgment, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere. Alexander looking at her expression, wondered what was on her mind. "Let''s go inside and prepare since we''re about to open up," Claire said, snapping out of her reverie. Alexander nodded and followed Claire inside the restaurant, observing the quiet place. He thought to himself, "I should resign next week. Money is no longer a problem, and I need to focus on making more and cultivating. Spending all my time at a regular job when I can earn so much more elsewhere isn''t ideal." However, he didn''t want to resign immediately because Valentine had treated him so well, increasing his salary and offering him the job with low requirements. His companions at the restaurant were also not bad. Without the system, his goal would have been to work, support his studies, get a job, and live a good life. But now, with the system, his goals had taken a massive turn. He realized that money was secondary to power. With power, he could have money. However, he still wanted to attend school and have a normal school life. When they were inside, Sophia, who was wiping the table, saw Alexander and was about to greet him but stope and kept staring at him blankly. "Is there really something wrong with my face?" he frowned, checking his reflection in a glass. Finding nothing amiss, he asked, feeling puzzled, "Can you tell me why you seem to freeze in place while looking at me?" Sophia and Claire just remained silent, and continuedly observe him. Just as Claire was about to speak, Weasley appeared behind Alexander. "Hey, good morning Alexander. What a wonderful day rig¡ª" Weasley''s voice stopped abruptly when Alexander turned to look at him. Seeing Weasley freeze mid-sentence, Alexander felt something was definitely off. "Can you tell me why your gazes are so intense, like you want to read my soul?" he asked the three. Weasley did not speak yet and just put his hand on his chin, observing Alexander closely. "Alexander, did you get a haircut?" he asked with a narrowed gaze. Alexander was stunned by the question. Did he get a haircut? Of course not. "Not at the moment, Uncle Weasley. Why would you even ask that?" Alexander replied, fully confused. Weasley nodded since he also didn''t see any changes in his hair, "It''s just that you look so different," he said. Weasley nodded, still puzzled. "Your charm seems to have increased. I don''t know, but you''ve just become more appealing, and the pressure you give off seems so different that I can''t describe it," he said, deep in thought. Sophia laughed softly, adding, "Dad was right, Alexander. You give off a different feeling. It''s like you''ve gone from a little baby to a mature man all of a sudden." "I can''t deny what Sophia said," Claire said in a calm voice, "You looked like a young master yesterday, but now you look like a soldier who has experienced life-and-death scenarios." Alexander, hearing what they said, made him question himself. Did his aura really change? But all he did was kill beasts and level up. How could the changes in him be so obvious? "I see. I didn''t notice this," Alexander replied with a slight grin. "Well, maybe it''s just because I''ve been practicing martial arts and made a breakthrough, tempering my temperament." Claire listening to his explanation just hummed in response, thinking that this must be the case. She didn''t know any martial arts, but she knew that practicing could change one''s perception on its user, so this explanation made sense to her. As they were discussing, Valentine then appeared in an office suit, "What are the four of you discussing? Don''t tell me you''re gossiping something bad so early in the morni¡ª" she stopped mid-sentence, looking at Alexander. "Oh, Alexander, did you get a haircut?" she asked, looking at him closely. Alexander couldn''t help but sigh wryly, "No, I didn''t. It''s just because I''ve had a breakthrough in my training, so my temperament has changed," he explained. Valentine nodded, seeming like she understands, though it was clear she didn''t fully grasp it. She didn''t ponder about it further but greeted each of them before bidding farewell to tend to her work. Noticing the time, Alexander and Claire finished their dilly-dallying. They put on their uniforms, and Alexander turned the sign to indicate they were open. Soon, customers began arriving one by one to eat. Finally, lunchtime came, and they all took a short break to enjoy their meals. Afterward, they continued their work. At a port near the seashore, Ethan and a few large men in black suits stood behind a black car. Ethan checked his phone, wondering if the old man had gotten lost. The ship had already docked, so why wasn''t he here yet? This made him a bit angry, that an old man who knows how to fight had the balls to make him wait. Suddenly, a man filled with vitality walked out of the ship and stood before him. He wasn''t particularly bulky but looked like an ordinary old man with a long beard and mustache. "Are you, my employer?" the old man said in a deep voice. Ethan, caught off guard by the old man''s appearance and his question, realized this must be the person he was waiting for. "You must be Master Viper. Nice to meet you. I''m Ethan, and my boss wants to meet you," he said, scrutinizing the old man. Inwardly, Ethan was filled with contempt but did not spoke it aloud, "This old man looks so malnourished. Is he not going to die with just a punch? Those weak arms look like they need some nutrition," he thought. The old man, known as Viper Ronin, was not angered by Ethan''s disdainful eyes. He just smiled playfully, sensing the disgust from an ordinary person. "Consider this your lucky day, since I''m in a very good mood," Viper Ronin said with a scornful smile, making Ethan and the other men freeze. Anger welled up in the men behind Ethan as they clenched their fists, looking at Viper menacingly preparing to take action to each this old man a lesson. "Stop, step down. This is the boss''s guest. Don''t do anything that isn''t in his orders," Ethan commanded, spreading his left hand to halt them. He then bowed to the old man and apologized, "Sorry about that, Master Viper. If I offended you, please forgive me. Please get inside the car; the boss is waiting for you at his place," Ethan said, bowing his head but his eyes were bloodshot, clearly unwilling. He was strictly instructed to bring this old man and to act courteously, ensuring not to anger him. Their plan couldn''t afford any mistakes or delays at this stage. "Hmph, you have some consciousness, I see. If you hadn''t done that, I would''ve disabled you just now," Viper Ronin snorted, getting into the car and settling in the passenger seat. Ethan who was still bowing, felt his anger rise, his face darkening with annoyance. The old man was definitely pushing his buttons. The man beside him was already fuming, but Ethan stopped them, patting each of their shoulder to calm them down. "Let him go," he muttered, nodding towards them. The man followed hir order unwillingly as he sat beside the driver, and as the car pulled away, a tense silence fell over them. Viper Ronin kept his eyes closed, and Ethan couldn''t help but feel a surge of disdain. "This old man was so calm and quiet, is he dead?" he said inwardly full of contempt But he didn''t say anything aloud as the ride continued in silence. When they arrived at the mansion, Ethan got out first and opened the door for Viper. "Master Viper, we have arrived. Please come in, the boss is inside waiting for your presence" he said respectfully. The old man then exited the car and walked along the pathway leading to the door, treating Ethan as if he were an invisible air. Ethan held his tongue from cursing, knowing his boss was inside. Inside the hall, two grand seats were positioned on a platform at the staircase. Jonathan sat on one of the seats, smoking a cigar. Lining the pathway leading to the platform, members of the Black Serpent Gang stood facing opposite each other on either side of the red carpet. These were clearly the inner members of the gang. Jonathan, who was leisurely smoking, saw the old man and immediately recognized him. He hurriedly stood up from his seat, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Master Viper Ronin, you actually arrived so early. Please have a seat," he said warmly, gesturing towards a seat on the platform. Viper Ronin, seeing the humble treatment, felt a surge of pride and arrogance. He nodded curtly and sat down. Jonathan''s underlings was very displeased and angry at the old man''s attitude, as they stared daggers at him. However, Jonathan remained unfazed, knowing that someone of Viper''s caliber had every right to be arrogant. He then sat at the other seat and asked, filled with pleasantries, "Master Viper Ronin, what do you want to drink? We have tea here that was imported from the US. I guarantee that you will love it," Jonathan voiced out. Viper Ronin just waved his hand in denial his face was adorned with a smile. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No need for that," he said. "I''m only here for the money. No need for the ceremony. Also, what kind of help do you need to invite me?" he inquired, his voice calm. Hearing this, Jonathan then answered stating his purpose for hiring him, "Master Viper, it''s because we are in need of your power to deal with someone." "Oh, who could it be, to make you spend a billion to invite me?" the old man inquired, caressing his beard. "It''s to deal with the protector of Benjamin. I heard he''s very strong and can even dodge bullets. Can you handle him alone while we finish Benjamin?" Jonathan said menacingly. Ethan who was on the side of Jonathan also knew there was a strong protector guarding Benjamin. Rumor had it that he was so fast, that he could dodge a flurry of bullet in midair and even twist thick steel with his bare hands. That protector was a middle-aged man with a powerful aura, but the old man in front of him looked so malnourished, like he was in the last stage of his diabetes. If he wasn''t careful, a strong gust of wind might just knock him over! The old man, not caring about the contempt from Ethan''s gaze, just snorted in reply, "Hmph, the guy you''re referring to is just a master of inner strength. I can deal with him by just lifting my small finger," Viper Ronin said arrogantly. Chapter 92 - 91 Grandmaster [Edited] Hearing the arrogant tone, Ethan couldn''t help but scoff. "The only thing that''s going to be defeated by a finger is you," he cursed inwardly, his disdain evident. However, Jonathan caught the sound of his scoff, his expression darkening. Viper Ronin the guest that he had hired, also noticed the disdain, turning his menacing gaze toward Ethan. "Ethan, please show respect to our guest," Jonathan said firmly, reprimanding his subordinate. Despite being scolded, Ethan showed no remorse, his defiance was very much evident in the way he stood. Taking a deep breath, he finally spoke up. "Boss, I respect you, but that guy is strong, and this old man? I don''t see anything special about him. Why are you lowering yourself to his level? And spending a billion? That''s practically all the wealth our gang has accumulated over the years! If this goes south, won''t we be the ones to suffer?" His tone was firm, his displeasure clear as he stared at the old man. Jonathan''s jaw tightened, as anger flashed in his eyes. ''If he doesn''t understand the real power of a martial artist, he should just keep his mouth shut,'' Jonathan thought, barely holding back his frustration. Jonathan was on the verge of losing his temper, ready to reprimand Ethan and demand an apology. However, Viper Ronin raised a hand, signaling him to stop, his expression playful as he turned his gaze toward Ethan. "So, you''re saying that just because I''m old, I''ll become nothing but a fodder in a fight? Is that what you mean?" Viper Ronin asked, pursing his lips with a mocking smile. Ethan, standing beside Jonathan, sneered at the remark and responded without hesitation. "Of course! You''re going up against a man known for dodging bullets, and he looks like he''s still in his prime. You, on the other hand, look like you''re on your last legs. Why wouldn''t I be skeptical?" Jonathan''s face darkened hearing this, his anger was boiling over. Ethan''s disrespectful words were like fuel to the fire, and he looked as if he were ready to lash out. But since he was stopped by Viper Ronin, he knows that this old man will make him broadened his horizons also him. Ethan had only heard rumors about Viper Ronin''s skills, but rumors are just rumors after all. "Alright then," Viper Ronin said in a calm tone, his eyes locking onto Ethan''s. "If you''re so curious about my capabilities, grab a gun and shoot me." Standing up from his seat, Viper Ronin exuded an air of confidence, his gaze playful yet powerful. He had encountered countless ignorant fools in his lifetime, and now that he had the chance to silence one in spectacular fashion, he wasn''t about to pass it up. Ethan froze for a moment, stunned by the audacious request. But his hesitation quickly turned into a vicious grin. "Don''t back out of your words, old man," he sneered, stepping down from the platform. He walked toward one of the nearby subordinates and held out his hand, "Hand me a gun," Ethan commanded. The subordinate, a man with tattoos sprawled across his face, was momentarily taken aback but quickly complied. Reaching for the firearm holstered at his hip, he passed it to Ethan without a word. He also felt a growing dissatisfaction with the old man, who carried himself with an air of superiority in front of his bosses. A part of him craved to see this arrogant elder humbled and put in his place. After taking the gun, Ethan''s gaze shifted to Viper Ronin, who stood tall and imposing on the platform, looking down at him as though he were nothing more than an insect. Ethan smirked coldly, his grip tightening on the weapon, "You''re not going to back down from your words, right?" he asked, his tone laced with mockery. Viper Ronin responded with a hearty laugh, his demeanor calm and unshaken, even with a loaded gun now aimed at him. "Kid, don''t make me laugh," he said, his voice resonating with authority. "It''s just a gun. Go ahead and shoot. Even if you brought a rifle, the result would be the same." Ethan snorted just dismissively from his words, "You asked for it," he said, raising the gun and aiming the muzzle directly at the old man. He pulled the trigger, and the gun roared to life, sparks flying as the bullet tore through the air with blinding speed, invisible to the naked eye. The subordinates gathered below the platform could barely contain their excitement, anticipating the sight of the old man writhing in pain. Ethan, too, smirked, waiting to see the terror in Viper Ronin''s eyes¡ªa proof to be that the old man wasn''t as extraordinary as he claimed to be. Even Jonathan, standing to the side, felt a surge of curiosity and anticipation. He wanted to witness, firsthand, the legendary skills of a real life grandmaster. As the trigger clicked and the bullet sped toward him, Viper Ronin remained as calm as still water. With unhurried precision, he raised his hand and extended his index finger. The crowd watched in disbelief as the bullet collided with his fingertip, seemingly stopped mid-flight. The scene that Ethan and the others were expecting a bloody moment did not appear, their faces revealed a ghastly expression felt like they were seeing a ghost. Jonathan stood frozen in awe, his face alight with amazement. The sight before him was almost too surreal to believe. The old man, with nothing but an outstretched index finger, had stopped the bullet mid-air. The projectile hovered for a split second, the tip pressed firmly against his fingertip, as though it had struck an impenetrable wall. Without so much as flinching, Viper Ronin casually caught the bullet in his hand. With a slight squeeze, he crushed it effortlessly. As he opened his palm, the bullet crumbled into tiny scraps, falling to the floor like discarded shreds of paper. Ethan''s face turned ghostly pale, his mouth agape as he stammered, "T-That''s impossible... How¡ªhow can someone like you exist? Stopping a bullet... This isn''t human!" His voice trembled as he swallowed hard, his expression a mix of disbelief and terror. Viper Ronin couldn''t help but let out a deep, rumbling chuckle, his arrogant smirk growing wider as he surveyed the stunned faces around him. "If you can''t accept reality, feel free to shoot again," Viper Ronin said coolly, motioning for Ethan to pull the trigger once more. Ethan just stood there, dumbfounded, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed. Refusing to believe what he saw, he squeezed the trigger again. The gun roared, and another bullet shot through the air. But the old man remained unshaken, effortlessly stopping each bullet with just his index finger. Every round fell harmlessly to the ground, the metallic clinking echoing in the room. Ethan''s hands began to tremble as his disbelief turned to panic. Refusing to give in, he fired again and again, yet every single bullet met the same fate. Viper Ronin stopped each one as if it were nothing more than a harmless pebble. Eventually, the magazine ran dry. The gun clicked, signaling its emptiness. Ethan stared at the old man, his expression frozen in terror and awe. It was as if he were gazing upon a god. The Black Serpent Gang, who had been watching with skeptical expressions, were now utterly transfixed. Their disdain melted away, replaced by sheer admiration and reverence. What they had just witnessed was beyond anything they could have imagined. Suddenly, the sound of clapping broke the tense silence. Jonathan rose from his seat, applauding with a hearty laugh. "Hahaha, well, Ethan, are you satisfied now? Put down your gun and apologize to Master Viper," he commanded, his glare sharp and unwavering. Ethan, now stripped of his earlier defiance, he trembled as fear gripped him. The memory of the old man''s effortless display of power was etched deeply into his mind. "I... I''m very sorry, Master Viper. Please forgive this junior for doubting your abilities," he stammered, bowing deeply. Sweat poured from his face like a waterfall. Viper Ronin simply waved his hand dismissively, exuding the calm authority of a grandmaster, "It''s fine. Just don''t let your ignorance embarrass you again." Relieved, Ethan let out a shaky breath. "Thank you, Master Viper," he said, his voice still trembling. Jonathan turned back to Ethan with a stern expression, "Now that Master Viper has forgiven you, let this be a lesson. I trust that your understanding of the world has expanded today," he said, his tone serious. "Remember, don''t judge solely by what you see. Reality is often far beyond what your eyes can comprehend." Ethan continued to bow deeply, his voice filled with regret, "Yes, boss, it was due to my poor eyesight that I couldn''t see how mighty Master Viper truly is!" he proclaimed loudly. Viper Ronin smiled slightly, clearly pleased with the praise. Settling back into his seat, he looked relaxed, as though he had expected no less. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jonathan, noticing the shift in Ethan''s demeanor, nodded approvingly. He then motioned for Ethan to come up and stand behind him. With respect in his eyes, Jonathan turned toward Master Viper and spoke, his voice carrying a tone of sincerity. "Master Viper, I want to apologize once again for my subordinate''s lack of foresight. His behavior was inexcusable." Viper Ronin waved his hand dismissively, his calm demeanor unchanged. "A trivial matter," he said nonchalantly, as though such things were nothing out of the ordinary for him. Jonathan, observing the old man''s calm demeanor, couldn''t help but feel a deeper sense of admiration. Viper Ronin exuded an aura that made it clear he was far beyond the reach of ordinary people. "So, about the plan, Master Viper," Jonathan began, clasping his hands together and giving them a thoughtful stroke. "You''ll handle any potential trouble, especially with Benjamin''s protector. If any unforeseen crises arise during the operation, please take care of it." Viper Ronin nodded calmly, "Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, your operation will go smoothly. And as for the man you mentioned, the one at the peak of Inner Strength¡ªhe''s nothing more than an ant in my eyes." His voice was steady and composed, yet it carried an undeniable authority. Jonathan smiled widely, his confidence soaring after witnessing the old man''s incredible abilities. With Viper Ronin at his side, he was now certain his plan would succeed. Ethan, standing beside Jonathan, remained silent. He was already feeling embarrassed for his earlier actions, and now, with the realization of the old man''s overwhelming strength, he couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of shame. Still, a part of him was relieved¡ªnow that he knew Viper Ronin was on their side, victory was already in their grasps. "Ethan," Jonathan commanded, his tone sharp and decisive. "Initiate the plan. Tell the men at the abandoned factory to prepare. And keep an eye on that woman¡ªcapture her. Do anything and use whatever means necessary, just don''t get caught." Jonathan''s smile was cold, carrying a ruthless edge. Ethan, though still humbled, nodded in acknowledgment. He then turned and walked off the platform, as the Black Serpent Gang members following him in silent. Chapter 93 - 92 Kidnapped [Edited] Alexander, who was busy serving the customers, had no idea that trouble was silently approaching. It seemed that women, both young and old, were drawn to him like bees and he was honey. His charm was undeniable, and even the simple waiter''s suit he wore couldn''t hide the magnetic aura he exuded. "Young man, could I have a glass of water?" a middle-aged woman asked, her voice laced with interest. Alexander nodded politely and, with graceful steps, walked over to her table. He set down the cup and pitcher to theirs. "Thank you, young man," she said, her eyes twinkling as she glanced up at him. "Are you planning to become a celebrity? I know a lot of people in the industry. If you''re interested, I could support you. What do you say?" The woman, slightly plump and a bit older, still possessed a certain charm, her smile was sultry and inviting The auntie in front of him looks like she was rich and well off, but Alexander denied the invitation with a smile. "I''m sorry, Auntie, but I''m not interested in becoming a celebrity. It would be too much of a hassle for me," Alexander said politely, offering a warm smile. The middle-aged woman''s face fell slightly, her smile turning wistful, "I see... Well, if you ever change your mind, just let me know," she replied, her voice tinged with a hint of disappointment. Alexander nodded respectfully, bowing slightly, before turning to continue serving the other customers. just at the opposite from her, a woman couldn''t help but laugh, aiming at the woman who had just spoken with Alexander. "Hahaha, you''re planning to make that handsome young man your boy toy, huh? Keep dreaming. If he''s working in a place like this, despite his looks, that just means he has integrity." The middle-aged woman shot her a sharp look, crossing her arms defensively, "Hmph, don''t think I don''t know you''re just as interested as I am. I can practically see your eyes bulging from staring at him so much. We''re the same. But I''m much more courageous than you," she retorted with a smug grin. The woman across from him didn''t deny it; after all, that was exactly what she had been hoping for. Both women were widows, and they couldn''t help but sigh, disappointed that the handsome young man hadn''t accepted their offers. Sophia and Claire, who were behind the counter, noticed the situation and couldn''t help but chuckle as Alexander walked toward them, handing over another note for an order. Hearing their giggles clearly aimed at him, he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you two laughing at?" he asked, looking between them. "Hehe, don''t tell me you''re planning to have a sugar mommy, to take care of you?" Claire teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I mean, they''re clearly interested in you. You know, if you accepted, making thousands would be as easy as eating rice." Alexander furrowed his brows, then flashed a seductive smile, his eyes sharp looking at her. "Why would I want a rich woman when you''re already standing right in front of me? Serving you is ten times better." Claire froze for a moment, her smile faltering as her face turned bright red. A puff of smoke seemed to materialize above her head in her flustered state. "You... you actually developed a glib tongue," Claire stammered, her voice a mix of shame and embarrassment. "And you even have the nerve to tease the younger sister of your boss? But since I''m in a good mood, I''ll let it slide." she spoke. Her heart fluttered, a tight feeling in her chest at his compliment. She puffed out her cheeks and retorted, "Also, who do you think you are, trying to be my boy toy? Keep dreaming." "Yeah, yeah," Alexander responded with a pitiful pout, "I get it. Young miss, standards are sky high. How could someone like me, just a lowly waiter, even think I could be worthy of such a privilege?" Claire, seeing this, was sorrowful. She was scared seeing him hurting his self-esteem. She was about to comfort him when she saw his lips filled with amusement. "You''re hateful! You dare to act so pitiful in front of me and dared to trick me. Move!" Claire said, she walked past him, hitting his shoulder as she tried to hide her flustered expression. Sophia, on the side, just chuckled seeing this scene. She took the note and passed it towards her father. The two didn''t talk, and when Alexander glanced at Claire, she just looked at him and puffed her cheeks, glancing sideways. He just smiled wryly as he continued serving the customers. Finally, work was done, and Claire was still angry with him. When he received his salary, he bid his farewell towards her, but she just crossed her arms as she looked back. Alexander let out a sigh as he left the restaurant. Claire, watching him go, couldn''t shake the irritation bubbling inside her. He hadn''t even tried to console her or offer an apology for his teasing. The fact that he just left made her even angrier. Weasley, standing nearby and witnessing the whole scene unfold, couldn''t help but notice the expression on Claire''s face. The one that reminded him of a wife angry at her husband for leaving without saying a word. "Tsundere," he muttered under his breath, too quiet to be heard. But the words slipped out before he could stop himself, and he quickly covered his mouth in shock. Claire, her temper already flaring, caught the tail end of his remark. The word "tsundere" struck a nerve, and her face flushed with even more frustration. "Who''s a tsundere?" she snapped, her finger pointed at him like a weapon. "I''m not a tsundere, you big fat old man!" she retorted, glaring at him fiercely. Weasley, now a little taken aback by her outburst, felt his anger stir, but he quickly reined it in. Arguing with a kid would only make him look older, so he took a deep breath and calmed himself. He wasn''t even fat and old, but this girl was cursing him like that. "I said you''re a tsundere," he said with a smile, looking at her with a gleeful look. Claire, whose eyes turned bloodshot, rushed towards him with wrath, "Hey, hey Claire, what are you doing? Stop! Hey. I''m telling your sister if you continue to act like this," Weasley said as Claire bit his arm, making him wail in pain. Alexander had already hailed a taxi to go back home, but before he did that, he went to the nearest retail store and bought some chips and drinks, especially for children. Far away, in a tall building, Valentine sat alone in her office chair, examining the documents in her hands. When she saw the time, she stretched her arms and yawned, stating with sleepy eyes, "Finally, my work is done." Work hadn''t been as busy lately, giving her more free time. Suddenly, a woman with long black hair entered the office. "Boss, I''ve completed the report and everything is in order. There were no issues," she said, handing over the document. Valentine just nodded her head as she stood up and took the documents. After reading the contents inside, she closed the folder and said, "Put this in my drawer, and also, can you organize my room since I have to go back home. It''s so boring staying in this office all day," Valentine said, with a lazy face. Her assistant just followed her command. She knew that her boss was a lazy person, but if there were some troubles in the company, she became a totally different person, managing its way to solve a problem no matter how troublesome it was. Valentine picked up her purse from the table, exiting her office, stepping into the elevator, and pressed the button for the first floor. As it descended, she arrived at the lowest floor. Her employee greeted her as she walked out gracefully. The two security guards opened the door for her as Valentine stepped out, her heels clicking against the pavement. Her car was parked across the street, and she began to walk towards the road. "Big brother, the woman is out. It''s time," the man in the driver''s seat, wearing a robber''s mask, whispered urgently. In the back seat, the others began preparing. The man who was called "big brother" put on his mask and motioned for the others to take out their guns to prepare for any troubles. The white van roared to life, its engine growling as it sped toward Valentine''s current location. Oblivious to the approaching danger, Valentine stood at the curb, waiting for the traffic lights to turn green so she could cross. Suddenly, the roar of an engine cut through the place, and Valentine froze. A white van screeched to a halt in front of her. Her heart raced as she immediately recognized what was happening. Without a second thought, she spun around and bolted, but before she could make it far, the van''s sliding door opened, and the big man in the robber''s suit was on her in an instant. "No! Let go of me, you beast!" she cried out, twisting in his iron grip as his hands wrapped around her waist. "Beautiful lady, stay calm. My gun doesn''t have eyes," he warned, his voice cold and menacing. Valentine felt the cold press of a hard object against her back, and her body tensed. She knew the man meant business, so she stopped fighting. Meanwhile, the security guards stationed outside, witnessing their boss being taken, quickly drew their guns and aimed them at the kidnapper, their expressions filled with alarm. Here''s a revised version to improve readability and tension: "If you shoot, I will shoot your beautiful CEO to the ground," he bellowed coldly, causing the security guards to freeze in place, unsure of what to do. The kidnapper took a step back, then forcefully shoved Valentine into the van. She hit the hard interior with a painful thud, groaning in agony. "Drive!" he commanded, and the driver slammed his foot on the accelerator, speeding away. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The security guards, in a panic, quickly called the police. As the alarm was raised, a city-wide search was immediately initiated. Meanwhile, the van continued to race through the heart of the city, where it easily attracted attention. But when it reached a bridge that spanned above the road, the men inside quickly executed their plan. They stripped the white van of its branding, revealing a black vehicle beneath, and swapped out the license plates. Once they had completed the transformation, they turned around and made their way back, passing through the police vehicles speeding in the opposite direction. The driver let out a sigh of relief as the last of the sirens faded behind them, "That worked," he muttered, his grip tightening on the wheel. The police, still unaware of the switch, were left searching blindly for the white van, completely missing the black vehicle as it blended seamlessly into the traffic. Chapter 94 - 93 [Edited] When the traffic was clear, the van got onto the mountain road, where vehicles had become increasingly few. There are two ways to the mountains. One goes left, which is the way to the innermost part of the mountain. As the van drove deeper into the area, it passed through an open gate where several men were stationed to guard the entrance. When the gangsters saw the van arrive, smiles spread across their faces, while some of them lounged around the premises. This only meant one thing, the operation was successful. The van then went inside what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. Inside the van, Valentine did not panic; her face was calm. If they kidnapped her, then that only meant they needed something from her, so she had to calm down and see what it was. When she felt the van began to slow down and stopped, the fear inside her began to stir. Since she did not know what their purpose was. "Ohh, Miss Beautiful. We have arrived," The man who pulled and forcefully threw her into the van said. Looking at the man Valentine remained a cold face, as the man just looked at her with a smile. The big man then slid the door open as all of them walked out into the van. Valentine, who was left inside, did not want to go out. Seeing this, the big man with the mask pulled her out of the van as Valentine stumbled to the ground. The man did not care as he slid the door closed. "This will be your new home from now on, Miss CEO." The man chuckled as Valentine glanced at the place. She can see the interior of an abandoned warehouse. The warehouse is large and spacious, with a high ceiling supported by metal beams. The walls are made of concrete and covered in graffiti. The floor is littered with debris, including broken pieces of wood, metal, and other discarded items. Several large, rusted metal containers and machinery are scattered around the space. What she found odd is that there is a big sofa with red carpet for the flooring. There are also some LED light stands surrounding that place. Seeing this, the man removed his mask and grinned at Valentine, "Do you love it? That''s where the filming will happen," he said. Hearing this, Valentine''s eyes began to waver as she thought about what was going to happen to her. "Don''t worry; you can still say prayers, but you better pour it all out right now. Because what you are going to think later is nothing but despair," he said with a lewd smile as Valentine''s face turned pale. "Go ahead and take her to the sofa," the man instructed the two men, who also removed their masks. Being held from left to right, Valentine struggled from the two gangs'' grasp. "Let go of me, you criminals," she exclaimed loudly; the two who were having a hard time controlling her began to become irritated. When suddenly, a hand came flying as it directly slapped her face, creating a pah sound. Her cheeks was swollen as her eyes were in a daze after the slap, the big man just looked at her coldly and said. "Don''t fight back if you do. A slap is not the only thing that will happen to you," he threatened. Valentine, who was still frozen, was pushed in the back by the man to continue his walk. She could only compromise as she walked towards the couch, with the two men following her in the back. "Fix the lights," The big man said to the two, and they nodded their heads. They then directed the LED stand lights at her, making her slightly blind. The man then took out his phone. "Big brother, can we watch," The man, with the aura of a gang, asked. Looking back, the big man smiled as he responded, "Sure, the more the merrier. Call all of our brothers to come and have a look." He then switched his attention to Valentine, who was clutching the foam of the sofa. She trembled uncontrollably, but she had to be strong. The more a woman shows fear during this situation, the more the man will enjoy it, so she had to act tough. "Since Miss Valentine would enjoy it to have her very own fans watch, right," he voiced with a smile. But what he received was just a glare from her, this did not anger him but made him excited. The thug who asked this was very happy. "Thank you, big brother. I''ll call our brother to watch the fun," he said as he left the warehouse. After a few moments, when he came back, a total of 40-50 men entered the warehouse. Valentine, seeing this, could only hope that help would arrive sooner or later. "Well, then, brothers, you better enjoy this scene, " the man bellowed, receiving cheers from those behind him. Staring at Valentine, he opened the camera and clicked the video button. "Now, then, Miss Valentine, this video will be sent to your father. So first off, why don''t you take off your suit so he will know that our intentions are not good," he said lewdly as he positioned the angle of the camera to get a good view. Hearing this Valentine was appalled as she covered her white suit with her arms and shook her head. Seeing this, the people in the back frowned, and even the big man who was filming was also angry. "Take it off now, or I''ll do it myself! " the man shouted, and Valentine could only lower her head, not taking his words. "You bitch, hey, you hold the phone and record this for me," he said to the little guy beside him. Passing the camera, he walked with heavy strides. His breathing was heavy as he looked at Valentine with fire burning in his eyes. Arriving in front of her, he opened his mouth to speak again. "Last chance, take it off, or I will do it!" he said calmly. Valentine then lifted his head as he looked at him coldly, "Even if you kill me right now, I will not act disgracefully to tarnish my own self," she replied to his words with venom. "Then so be it," the big man snorted, gripping her chin strongly pulling her up in the process. Her jaw and cheeks hurt from the tough hand, her eyes began to turn watery as her breathing became rapid. The two big hands then began to unbutton her suit, making her frightened as she tried to push him away. Feeling her struggles, the big man was angered by it as he pushed her back on the couch, making her back ache from impact. "Ahhh," she groaned in pain, but the man slapped her other cheek, making the left and right swollen. The man then continued to unbutton the suit as she continued to fight back, but the man just held both of her hands up as she could only wriggle her legs. Her eyes were red as she tried to stop him, but she couldn''t do it with her little strength. Finally, the upper part was open, revealing her cleavage. As the man continued all the way down her perfect figure was in full display. "Damn, those boobs are delicious," one of the spectators exclaimed, looking at her big breast, which is covered by her bra. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When it was fully opened, the man threw her clothes away. Looking down, she could see the look of despair in her face. "Not so tough now, are you, hah! You really deserved to be one of the beauties in this city. With that perfect figure and big boobies me, and my brothers would very much enjoy ravaging you. hahaha," he spat in her face. Valentine could only lower her head in shame as she covered her exposed bras with her hands. The man then returned back to where he stood as he took the camera, "Look at this, your daughter has now been abducted by us. You better come here fast, or it will be too late," he said to the camera as he angles the pointer to Valentine. "Hey, you bitch, stop covering your breast. If you don''t listen to me again, I will have to remove it. Then we will see," The man threatened. Valentine, hearing this, had no choice, feeling reluctant. She still spread her arms, as she squeezed the foam showing her curves openly. The man then videoed everything as he instructed her again to look at the camera. Even though she was unwilling, she had to do it. She just has to wait for his dad to come and bring his uncle. She knows how powerful his uncle was, so she''s not worried one bit if his father were to come. Looking at the camera, her eyes became livid, filled with vitality and confidence. "Don''t make us wait, old man," he said lastly as he went to the message and delivered the video to Valentine''s father. Chapter 95 - 94 [Edited] It was already 7 pm., so you could see that the sun was about to set. In a villa, in a study room, a middle-aged man can be seen walking back and forth holding the phone. Then the phone rang, and he answered it: "How is it, Willian? Did you find any clue about my daughter?" Benjamin Valentine''s father said to the phone. His voice was heavy when he received a call that his daughter was kidnapped just outside of her company. He was angry as he quickly deployed all of his resources to find his daughter, but an hour had already passed, and no clues had been found. "Not yet, Benjamin. We have been trying to locate the van. But according to a citizen who was just across the bridge at that time, he saw that a van had changed its disguise to a black one. This is our only lead for now to find the location of young Miss," William uttered as he sat in the passenger seat. A police officer beside him is the driver, and they follow the direction that the person pointed at. However, the city is so big that they have no idea when they pass the direction that the guy pointed at. There are lots of roads, and they don''t know where to go next. "I see. Thank you, William. Please do your best," Benjamin replied, not blaming them. The one who had to be blame is him, he had gone soft that many of his enemies dared to kidnap her daughter. If he had at least hired some professional bodyguards, this would not have happened. "You don''t need to thank me, Benjamin. I did nothing. I''ll call you back when we find some clues about Miss Valentine," William replied. Benjamin thanked him again as he ended the call. He stopped and looked at the floor, clearly trying to figure out which mastermind had caused this. His mind was racing, which made his movement a little dizzy. The person standing straight, like a soldier, giving off the feeling of being strong is none other than the so-called protector, who his enemies are talking about to deal with. "Boss, why don''t you calm down for a bit. We know that if they kidnapped Miss Valentine, then that means their target is also you, " the middle-aged man in a butler suit said. Hearing what he said, Benjamin could only shake his head. "It''s hard, Shanks; I''m just worried that she will be treated badly by those kidnappers." he sighed as since her daughter''s safety was on the line Shanks, who was its name, did not reply since he was also worried, but he let his mind calm down since panicking in this current situation is not good. Benjamin then glanced at Shanks. He is a retired soldier who was in his 50s. He was a commander in the army, but he retired due to something. No one knows the reason, as he only replied to the higher-ups that he had to pay his debt. But Benjamin knows exactly the reason for that: it is to repay her daughter. since she is out of the battlefield. Her daughter, who is just 11 years old, was suffering from cancer. Since he was on the battlefield then, he could not go back even if he swam the ocean. The situation was critical, and he was most needed, but he could only send money to his little brother to take care of her daughter. When the war was finished in the borders he was devastated from what he saw when he got back. Her daughter''s life was actually hanging in the thread, and she was very much close to dying. The only thing that made her daughter alive from now, was because of Benjamin who was in the hospital at that time to visit her wife. He cared deeply for Shanks''s daughter, so he hired skilled doctors to look after her. When he learned that the little girl had cancer, he felt pity for her situation. The little girl also told him stories about his father being a cool soldier, which made him understand the man''s job. But leaving her daughter alone is not a responsible man. So when the little girl was on his deathbed, Shanks was filled with tears and regret as she saw her in the hospital bed. Her face was pale but her smile was as beautiful as ever. When Shanks saw this scene he felt his heart being pierced by thousands of needles, even getting hit by the bullet is not as painful as this. Benjamin then gave him some time to talk and enjoy the last moment with her daughter. The little girl then recounted how Benjamin and Valentine came to visit her and brought her some toys to enjoy. They even wanted to adopt her, but she declined since he had a father. But because of her cancer that began to spread, surgery was not an option anymore since her body was very weak. Shanks can still remember her daughter''s words, "Dad, Uncle Benjamin, and sister Valentine are good people; please take care of them when I''m gone. Just consider this your repayment hehe" she said with a giggle as she kissed his cheeks. Seeing her daughter look, he could only offer a smile, but his heart felt like it was dying, and that was the last moment he had a conversation with her daughter. After that, he asked the hospital about his cousins, but no one came to visit, making his eyes turn blood red. His gratitude towards the Lancaster family knows no bounds since if it wasn''t for them, he would not have seen her daughter, even if it was in her last moment. So, before he went back to the camp, he had his revenge on his brother. Even if they were blood-related, he hated this brother of his for being so greedy. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he had no choice at that time about who would take care of her daughter. After that a murder case happened but no one knows who did it, Benjamin after hearing this news in the tv. He exactly had an idea of who it was, and in just a few days, he saw the little child''s father come into his door. He offered to become their family bodyguard, but Benjamin wanted to deny it since Shanks held a high position in the army. But the man insisted, and Benjamin accepted him into his home. Suddenly, as the two of them were wondering about something, Benjamin''s phone began to ring again. He was delighted, thinking that it must be William who was calling again and must have some news. But when he looked, it was not actually a call but a message. Opening, the veins in his forehead began to pop out as his eyes turned bloodshot, and his hand was trembling looking at the video that was sent. Seeing his expression, he knew something bad had happened. He then went towards Benjamin as he looked at the phone. His killing intent surged as his eyes were filled with the intention to kill, what they saw is how Valentine being forced to take off her suit with her bra remaining. They can even hear her screams as she struggles, and the man''s voice makes this command. What made their anger rise even more was when Valentine was slapped in the face. After finishing the video, he sends a message. [Where are you! I''ll swear if you at least touch a strand of her hair, I promised you that I will chop off your hand] Benjamin''s message was filled with threat. The man who was waiting for the reply felt amused as he read the text. [Hahaha, don''t scare me, old man. Here''s the location XXXXX. You better come here in less than 30 minutes, or you will find her in an unreasonable way. Also, don''t call the police; this will put us in a dead end. You know what will happen if we are in that situation, right?] The man replied as he closed his phone as Benjamin kept sending messages, but he received no reply. "Master Benjamin, I think he had already put down his phone. Let''s go to the location and save young Miss," Shanks commented, since time was running out. Benjamin nodded, and when they exited the door, as they went down the stairs, Claire was in the living room. She was feeling trouble as well, her anxious face was livid as she just stared in the tv in a daze. When she heard a footstep, she saw his father and his uncle, Shanks. "Dad, did you find big sister? I want to come along," she said as she stood up and blocked his way. "Claire, this is not the right time. Just stay here while me and your uncle get your sister back," he responded as he called the two bodyguards just outside his door. "Don''t let Claire leave the house; call all of the rest to protect this villa. If an unknown and suspicious person came, do what it needed to be done," he said to the them as they heeded his words. Claire hearing this was even more anxious, "Is sister suffering right now?" she exclaimed inwardly as she wanted to come along, but the bodyguards stopped her by just standing in front of her. "Young miss, this is the master''s command. Please forgive us," one of the men said. Claire glared at him and shouted, "Move out of my way!" She tried to pass through but was blocked. Seeing her father leave with the family car, she could only cry as she sat on the sofa, feeling aggrieved. She took her phone, and an image of a man appeared in her mind. Finding his contact number, she called him, needing someone to talk to. Chapter 96 - 95 Alexander did not go home when he left the restaurant. First, he went to the market to buy many groceries. He also bought eggs, vegetables, meat, and rice. He did not forget to buy some seasonings and, of course, Mountain Dew and other juices that are healthy for the kids. The seller was very happy because the young man in front of him was not just handsome but rich. He at least bought half of their stock, making her very happy. "Do you have a car, young man? We also offer deliveries, that is, if you want to," the auntie said to him. Alexander heard this, thought for a moment, and yes, he had no car. He then looked at the kind auntie and smiled. "Sure, auntie, how much would it be for the transportation fee?" Alexander asked, since what he bought is like 3 weeks'' worth of food, and the drinks like Mountain Dew, Coke, Royal, Yakult, and many more will be able to last more than 3 weeks, that is if they don''t drink water. The middle-aged woman just chuckled at him. "You silly child, consider this a free service for buying so much in my shop," she responded. Hearing what he said, Alexander shook his head. "Auntie, I''m really happy for you to give me a free ride, but please give me a price. It will make me feel bad if you don''t," he said pitifully since he did not want to owe the kind auntie a favor. Since it''s also a waste of time for her just to transport his bought goods, "Hehe, don''t worry about that. If I say it''s free, it''s free. What about this if you come and buy more goods? This auntie will offer you a 10% discount. So consider this free ride as our agreement," the auntie said gleefully. Alexander smiled crudely as he accepted it in the end. If he wanted to resupply, he could just buy here and let them transport the goods. "Okay, Auntie, but who is going to drive?" Jeff asked since he had only seen her in this shop. When he said this, the woman took a deep breath before she shouted. "AN-THO-NY!" Her voice was so loud that the whole shop felt like it was trembling. Suddenly, the door in the back sprung open, and a man with a sleepy and pale face appeared running so silly. He arrived just beside the woman standing straight. "Yes, honey, did you call me?" he said, sweat all over his forehead. The woman, seeing his silly expression, just snorted, "Hmph, you have been sleeping all day while I left to manage the shop alone. Go ahead and give this young man a ride. He''s our big customer, so act courteously. Got it!" she commanded. The man vigorously nodded his head. Seeing this, the woman glanced towards Alexander with a smile, returning her good attitude, making Alexander feel the coldness on his back. "This auntie is really like a book. She changes attitude so fast, like turning a page," Jeff said, looking at the man, who is the woman''s husband. When Alexander looked at the man, the man glanced back at him, feeling something unique from their brief eye contact. The sensation he experienced was unlike anything a normal person could evoke in that moment, leaving him curious. But that feeling disappeared as it appeared so suddenly, which made him a little bit skeptical, wondering if what he felt was just his imagination. The man who just glanced at him and looked away felt something odd about this kid in front of him, but he just shook his head since he did not feel anything after that. "Oh yeah, young man. This is my husband. His name is Anthony. He will be giving you a ride. Is that okay with you?" the woman said, cupping her hands and looking at the young man''s face. Alexander waved his hands for the auntie for him to not worry about it. "It''s good, Auntie; this is just perfect," he responded. The kind auntie in front of him is not really that bad-looking. She is in her mid-30s and has long, wavy brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, with a small purple ribbon holding it in place. Her eyes are striking blue, and she has a warm, gentle smile. She is wearing a light purple t-shirt underneath a brown apron, giving the impression of someone who knows how to manage a shop. Because she had a shop, ok? While the man''s ears who was being pulled and reprimanded, by the woman due to him slacking and sleeping during work time. The man who is the woman''s husband is in his 40s. He has dark, almost black hair pulled back in a loose bun. He has a strong jawline and a hint of stubble on his chin. His eyes are a striking blue, and his expression is silly, with an awkward smile. He wore a black long-sleeve complemented by his trousers. He also wears a gold necklace with a small pendant. "Can you stop pulling my ears? You''re making me embarrassed at the kid," He said, feeling depressed. His image was ruined. "Hmph, what''s the point of your image? You don''t look very responsible just by looking at your face. Hayss, I don''t even know why I fell in love with you in the first place," she snorted as she let go. "Hurry and help the young man carry the stuff; I think he can''t lift it," said Rebecca. Anthony simply nodded his head and effortlessly lifted one of the boxes as if it weighed nothing. This made Alexander curious, confirming that what he had felt earlier was not just his imagination. "Don''t worry, Auntie, I can help Uncle carry this," Alexander said to the woman. Rebecca was about to stop him, but she was shocked to see him carry it. Well, it was not heavy since it was about 50 kg, but what surprised her was. The young man in front of her did not even frown or struggle a bit when he lifted it. Anthony, seeing this, was also surprised. "You''re actually strong, huh? Don''t tell me you hit the gym," Anthony asked him. Jeff just replied respectfully, "Well, sometimes I go to the gym. It is heavy but not to the point of being unliftable." He was neither humble nor arrogant. Anthony just smiled as the two of them got out from the back of the shop and placed it on the back of an old red pickup truck. Anthony went back inside the shop again to carry the last one. As they were about to go, Rebecca held Anthony in their hands. "Be careful on the way, okay?" she said in a caring tone. Anthony just smiled warmly, hearing her concerned tone. Her wife can be like a tigress sometimes, but this is one reason why he fell in love with her in the first place, since behind that is a sweet girl. "Don''t worry about what will happen to me," he replied with a laugh. Rebecca just smiled as she glanced at Alexander. "You too, young man. Hurry and go now so you can come back early, the same as the young man," she said as they then bid farewell. Alexander then sat in the passenger seat, and Anthony in the driver''s seat. When the engine roared, they left the place. While they were on the road, Anthony shifted his look in the road and looked at Alexander. "Oh yeah, young man, I don''t know your name yet," He inquired. Alexander, hearing this, replied respectfully, "My name is Alexander Ashbourne, Uncle Anthony," he replied. Hearing this, the man hit the brakes as he looked at him with wide eyes; he trembled for a moment as his breathing became rapid. "What did you say your name was again?" he said in a stuttering voice. Taken aback by the sudden change in the uncle''s expression, he replied with a blank face. "Alexander Ashbourne, is their something wrong with my name?" he asked since he felt something odd from his look. Hearing this confirmation, he could not help but shake his head and return to his normal self. "Haha, there''s nothing wrong with your name, young Alexander. Now, where would you like me to take you?" Anthony asked with a polite yet curious smile. Alexander nodded in agreement since there was really no problem with his name. He then told him his address. Hearing this, Anthony''s expression shifted to surprise. Summit Heights. That name alone was enough to send a ripple of shock through him. Summit Heights wasn''t just a location¡ªit was the residence of individuals with the most powerful backgrounds in the country. This wasn''t a place for ordinary people at all. "My assumptions weren''t wrong, then," Anthony thought, a mix of awe and confusion crossing his mind. "But from his expression just now, it doesn''t seem like he even recognizes his family name," which made him question himself. Anthony''s mind then wandered back to an unforgettable memory burned into his soul¡ªa legendary battle in the mountain ranges. At that time, he had been nothing more than a spectator, watching in stunned silence as forces beyond imagination clashed. The three most powerful sects in the country had united, a rare alliance forged out of desperation. Each sect leader wielded strength capable of shattering mountains and redirecting rivers, their power almost godlike. And yet, their opponent was a single man. One man who stood against all of them. An old man stood there, dressed neatly in a butler''s uniform. They saw the butler calmly lift a single hand, his palm outstretched. The air itself seemed to freeze. In an instant, the gathered sect leaders were brought to their knees, blood spilling from their mouths. Their faces contorted in agony, unable even to raise their heads. Watching through a telescope, Anthony felt a chill run down his spine as sweat poured down his face. The same was true for others observing from afar. They couldn''t believe their eyes. With a simple gesture¡ªraising his hand and opening his palm¡ªthe butler brought three powerful sect leaders to their knees. Anthony''s grip on the telescope tightened. His mind was racing with shock. "How can someone with such terrifying power exist? And he''s just a servant?" He exclaimed as he realized how small he was in the grand scheme of things. The butler''s voice boomed across the battlefield, clear and loud as if carried on the wind itself. "You dare challenge the Ashbourne family with this pitiful strength? You can''t even handle me, a mere servant, yet you had the nerve to unite and cause trouble?" Even though Anthony was miles away, the words echoed so clearly in his ears that it was as though the butler was standing right beside him. The old man lowered his hand, releasing a wave of bloodlust that spread across the battlefield, blanketing everything within five miles. People with weaker wills collapsed immediately, unconscious, while those who remained standing looked pale and shaken, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. "Take this as your only warning," the butler said, his voice calm and composed. "Our master has ordered us not to interfere in worldly affairs. But if we ever choose to act, do you seriously think you can stop us?" The gathered sect leaders didn''t need to be told twice. They turned and fled, their pride shattered. Those still able to move carried their unconscious core disciples off the battlefield, their heads bowed in shame. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 97 - 96 [Edited] That happened about 15 years ago, but the name of that family was gravely engraved in his memories. As they arrived at ''Summit Heights'', the security guard, Kent, saw it was Alexander. He greeted him and opened the gate to welcome him in. Anthony, who had a glimpse of the inside, was amazed, of course, even though he went to many places, appreciating the scenery he liked. "Young man, you so rich, hah. So where is your villa at?'' he said as he glanced at him. "Hehe, uncle, it''s just a gift from a friend of mine. Just go straight up that road and take the left one," Alexander said humbly as he told him the way. Anthony just smiled because of his humble attitude, which is neither showoff nor arrogant. He then followed Alexander''s instructions. When they arrived at the gate and saw that it was their boss, they opened the gate, letting them in. Anthony, seeing the vastness of this place, was momentarily stunned. "Young man, I have to admit you are really talented for a friend to offer this kind of manor. If I am right, this manor is called ''Evercrest Manor'' and worth at least tens of billions," Anthony exclaimed as he took a look at that place. After arriving at the front door of the house, they both got out, and Anthony placed the box of supplies on the concrete ground. "Should I help you carry it inside?" Anthony asked. Alexander just shook his head since he was only here to deliver¡ªand not a carrier. "No need, uncle, but if you want to drink some cold water inside or rest, you are welcome," he offered with a smile. Anthony started to like the young man even more, but he did not accept it since he had to get back to help his wife. "Maybe next time, young man. But hey, don''t forget: if you want to buy some groceries, just come to our shop, okay?" Anthony uttered as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "Of course," he replied, sensing the enthusiasm of this uncle. "Good, good," Anthony laughed as he patted his shoulder. Suddenly, the door opened, and a woman in a white plain dress came into view. When Anthony saw this, he was shocked. The woman in front of him felt like it was carved out from a painting¡ªa goddess in human clothing. He could not help but hiss as he looked at Alexander in praise. "Young man, I can''t believe your girlfriend is so beautiful. I better get going now so you two can have fun, haha," he said with a grin as he walked back with a laugh. Aeloria hearing what the man said made her blush, as she just stood there too embarrassed to move. "Gi... Girlfriend?" she uttered in a low voice, touching both of her cheeks, which were red as tomatoes. Alexander saw that the uncle had left with the pickup truck and could not help but sigh, based on what he had said. Looking back, he saw Aeloria''s face, which made him want to tease her even more. He walked towards her with a grin, holding her waist and pulling her close. "Why don''t you want to?" he asked, their faces just inches apart, causing her cheeks to puff out with smoke. Aeloria didn''t understand why, after everything that had happened, she still felt so embarrassed¡ªespecially when he touched her. "Of course... I... want to," she stuttered, quickly looking down. Alexander could not help but feel warm as he kissed her forehead. Aeloria then felt a warm sensation as he felt the softness of Alexander''s lips. "Alright, alright, I''m just teasing you. But I really meant what I said," he chuckled. Aeloria was angry at first when she heard what he said, but she was very happy when she heard the second statement. "Oh yeah, I bought supplies for tonight''s dinner and some drinks for you and Anya to drink. Trust me, you will love it," he said, as he pointed at the three-wrapped boxes. Not knowing what was inside, Alexander did not explain as he carried the three boxes but stacked them up together. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When they arrived, Alexander and Aeloria went to the kitchen and placed the boxes on the floor. He slowly opened one of the boxes, revealing its contents. The first box was filled with meat inside a plastic bag to avoid leakage. "What kind of meat is this, Alex?" she asked, glancing at it. "This is the meat of cows, chickens, goats, and pigs. I''ll put it in the freezer first so it will not rot," he stated as he carried it. Opening the door, he saw another area of the kitchen with many freezers. He then filled it with meat. As he went back to the kitchen, he opened another box, which contained a wide range of vegetables and fruits, as well as rice. Like apples, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, everything that can be eaten, but for the record, not literally anything. But there''s a lot, so he also put it in a deep freezer. If you don''t know, a deep freezer is just a freezer that can freeze fruit to slow down the enzymatic process that causes the rotness of fruit or vegetables. When he got back, he opened the last one. When he opened it, the little girl popped up from his side. "Big brother Alex, is that called drinks?" Anya asked, looking at the different colors of the drinks. Alexander was surprised to hear this. "How did you know these are called drinks?" he asked the little girl, who was hugging his leg. "Well, when Anya was watching TV, I saw a lot of this drink appear. So I thought that you also bought some drinks for Anya," she replied cutely. This made Alexander laugh as he ruffled her hair. ''TVs are really a great source of information for little kids to understand the world,'' he thought. "That''s right! Anya is very smart to know what this drink is called just by watching TV. Here, why don''t you try taking a sip?" Alexander said, picking up a drink named ''Chukie,'' a chocolate beverage. He first inserted a straw into the drink before passing it to her. "Suck it through here," he instructed, pointing at the straw. Anya nodded her head and took a sip, ''Please don''t think of something bad.'' As the little girl tasted the drink. As Anya''s tongue brushed against the juice, a wave of rich, creamy flavor flooded her senses. The chocolate beverage, Chukie, had a smooth, velvety texture that danced across her taste buds. It was sweet but not overly so, with a hint of cocoa bitterness that perfectly balanced the sweetness. The drink was refreshing and indulgent, a delightful treat that made her want to drink it more. As she ran out of breath to suck the straw, she stopped and let go of the straw, "Big brother, Alex, this is so tasty." she muttered with sparkling eyes continuing what she was doing. Alexander chuckled at this. "If you want, just go and take some in the refrigerator, but don''t drink so much since it''s bad for your health," he said strictly. "Aeloria, keep an eye on her, okay? It''s okay to drink, but not a lot since she''s still young," he whispered in her ear, and Aeloria heeded his words. Alexander then took out a bottle of Mountain Dew and passed it to her. "Why don''t you try this drink? This is my favorite, if you want to know," he said. Aeloria took the plastic bottle of Mountain Dew from Alexander, her eyes widening as she examined its vibrant green color. The bottle shimmered under the light, and the fizzy beverage bubbled enticingly. She hesitated for a moment, as she unscrewed the cap and brought it to her lips. As Aeloria took her first sip, the cool liquid danced on her tongue. The taste was a striking contrast to anything she had experienced before. It was sweet but with a sharp, citrusy tang that invigorated her senses. The carbonation fizzed lightly in her mouth, adding a weird texture to the drink. Each sip brought a refreshing burst of lemon-lime flavor, leaving a subtle, crisp aftertaste that lingered pleasantly. She glanced up at Alexander, a smile spreading across her face. "This is really good, Alex!" she exclaimed, savoring the unique and refreshing taste of the Mountain Dew. "This tastes so different from what I''ve tasted before; this so-called drink is really amazing," she finished. "I know, right? Its taste will even become more tasty if it''s cold. So I''m going to put it in the refrigerator first, " he uttered as he took all of the drinks to the refrigerator. As Aeloria observed the vibrant array of colors in the plastic bottles lined up in front of her, curiosity sparked within her. Each bottle glimmered with its own unique hue, ranging from deep crimson to bright citrus, enticing her look. Turning to Alexander, the person filling the fridge, she inquired, "Do the different colors of the drinks affect their taste?" Her eyes flicked from one shade to another, captivated by how each one seemed to show their difference. Chapter 98 - 97 The call [I''m very sorry for the repeated chapters over the past few days. School and other responsibilities have been overwhelming, and I tried to complete the event but failed to keep up with my workload. I promise this won''t happen again, as I want to offer you all a better reading experience. Please forgive me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!] Hearing her question, Alexander nodded and replied, "Yes, every drink here has a unique taste. For example, this black one, ''Coke,'' tastes different from this one, ''Mountain Dew.'' And this orange drink here is called ''Royal.'' If you want to find your favorite flavor, just give them a try." Aeloria tilted her head slightly, indicating she understood. "Alright then, let''s cook dinner for tonight," Alexander said to the two. However, just as he was about to start, Aeloria stopped him. "Why don''t I cook tonight? You just got home from work," Aeloria suggested with a kind smile. Her offer left Alexander momentarily stunned. "You? But do you know how to use this equipment? What happens if you accidentally spill yourself?" Alexander asked, feeling a bit skeptical. Hearing Alexander''s words, Aeloria felt a pang of indignation as she puffed up her cheeks. ''How dare he say that to me!'' she thought. As a woman, there was one thing she believed they excelled at compared to men, that is cooking. When Alexander had left earlier that morning, she hadn''t spent her time idly. She had been reading books from the library, learning how to use various appliances like the refrigerator, stove, laundry machine, and more. However, she hadn''t started experimenting right away. What if the information in those books wasn''t reliable? To ensure she got it right, she decided to watch instructional videos on the television instead. Once Anya had fallen asleep, Aeloria focused on understanding how to use the stove. When she successfully turned it on for the first time, a wave of happiness washed over her. Encouraged by her small victory, she began familiarizing herself with the functions of different cooking tools: pots, frying pans, saucepans, Dutch ovens, saut¨¦ pans, stockpots, woks, skillets, roasting pans, and even pressure cookers. So, she literally took her time to learn all this stuff so she wouldn''t trouble Alex with it. She was very much fascinated by Alexander''s hometown when he read the book. There was no such thing that is recorded as guilds, beasts, flying dragons, and more that could be found in her world. She wanted to ask him, but she decided to just ask it later since she wasn''t really in a hurry to know about it. If she was really in another world then, it''s okay as long as they are living a good life. She couldn''t help but pinch Alexander''s waist, making him stunned in surprise. He couldn''t help but make a pained expression, even though it didn''t hurt. He had to act. "Hmph, I didn''t waste my time, if you want to know," she pouted cutely, making Alexander frozen from her actions. "Alright, I''m sorry. Can you let go of your hand now?" he said wryly, seeing his expression. Aeloria smiled as she let go. "But what are you going to cook?" Alexander asked, not knowing what kind of dish she learned. Aeloria just giggled as she replied, "A lot, why don''t you sit down..." Aeloria was interrupted as Alexander''s phone rang. Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that it was Claire. He was confused since it was already night as he wondered why she was calling. "Excuse me for a moment," Alexander said towards Aeloria, which she nodded her head. Alexander then just went outside the kitchen door as he answered the call. But what made him frown when he answered it, he heard her sobbing. "Alex... Boo hoo... my sister... was kidnapped," she said to the call. Alexander felt that his mind exploded when he heard this. His face turned serious as he replied calmly. "Do you have any idea who did it?" Alexander asked, as his other hand squeezed into a fist. "I don''t know, but my father and Uncle Shanks know. But they just left a few minutes ago, likely trying to go to the place where my sister was being captive. I''m very worried about their situation, especially my sister. Alexander, what should I do?" she cried at the other end of the phone. Alexander felt his blood boil as he replied to comfort her. "Don''t worry Claire, your sister will be fine. Trust me." Claire on the sofa couldn''t help but feel good, not knowing why is that. Alexander tried his best to make her feel good as the call ended. He felt that his vision darkened as a gloomy expression adorned his face. When he returned, Aeloria could see his expression as she stood up and walked towards him, feeling concerned. "Alex, is there something wrong? Why is your face so gloomy?" she asked. Alexander hurriedly offered a smile as he responded. "Don''t worry about me, Aeloria. Just cook your own meal tonight. I will be going for an errand tonight. After that, just go to sleep and don''t wait for me, okay?" he said to show that she had nothing to be concerned about. Aeloria saw that he was hiding something but didn''t try to pry about it. So, she took his hand and looked at him in the face, offering a warm smile. "If you need some help, you can just ask me, okay?" Aeloria said to him, and he just smiled in reply. "I will be going for now. Don''t sleep late, okay? Especially you little girl, try to sleep early, got it. Watching TV late at night is not good for your health," Alexander said to Anya, as he leaned down to pinch her cheeks, making the little girl look at him very confused but just nod her head. Alexander then stood up straight as he looked back at Aeloria, whose face was still somewhat worried, making him sigh. Alexander walked up to Aeloria with a grin, gently pinching her cheeks on both sides and pulling them slightly, making her face puff up in a silly way. Her flustered expression only made him laugh harder, his deep chuckles filling the room. Aeloria''s brows furrowed in mock anger, and she hit his chest with her delicate fists. Though her strikes carried no real force, they were enough to convey her irritation. Alexander let her vent before resting his hands firmly on her shoulders. His playful demeanor softened into something more comforting as he looked into her eyes. "Now, that''s enough of that," he said with a warm smile. "Stop worrying so much, okay? It''s not as big of a problem as you think. I''ll take care of everything, so relax a little." Before she could respond, he reached out and gave her nose a gentle pinch, adding, "Alright?" Aeloria''s face flushed a deep shade of red, and she nodded quietly, her earlier anger melting away into shy submission. Satisfied, Alexander let her go, bidding her a quick farewell as he left the kitchen. But as he stepped outside, his smile faded, and his expression grew serious. What was I doing back there? he thought, a hint of self-consciousness creeping in. "It felt like I was consoling a wife..." He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Though he was only 18 and Aeloria was in her 20s, he knew he needed to keep his emotions and actions in check. As he walked further from the house, his demeanor shifted completely. His lightheartedness was gone, replaced by a sharp, focused aura. His crimson eyes glowed faintly as a steely resolve took over his features. As Alexander approached the gate, Andre Bon and Lewis, the guards stationed there, immediately straightened their postures. Their eyes locked onto their young boss, but what truly unnerved them was the faint yet overwhelming energy radiating from him. Even though it was just a subtle leak of power, it was enough to send shivers down their spines. Without needing a word, they opened the gate. As Alexander stepped through, he paused briefly, his gaze sharp but calm. "Uncles, please guard my manor. I''ll be back soon," he said, his tone composed yet authoritative. Before they could respond, Alexander vanished. It wasn''t a sprint or a blur¡ªit was as if he had completely disappeared into thin air. Andre Bon and Lewis froze, their eyes wide with disbelief. For a moment, neither spoke, the weight of what they had just witnessed hanging heavily in the air. Finally, Andre Bon managed to stammer, swallowing hard. "That¡­ That was unreal. Did the young boss just vanish?" Lewis, standing beside him, was equally astonished but quickly pieced together his thoughts. "I think¡­ I think the young boss might be one of those martial artists. You know, like the commanders we saw back in the army." Andre Bon''s brows furrowed as he nodded slowly, but then Lewis added, "But judging by that speed? His strength is far beyond theirs. He''s on an entirely different level." Andre Bon exhaled heavily, his breath shaky. "We''re guarding a place led by someone like that? Just who is the young boss?" The two stood in silence for a moment, the realization of their young boss abilities sinking in. They exchanged a glance, both filled with awe and a hint of pride to serve someone strong, knowing they were in the presence of someone far more extraordinary than they had ever imagined. "Well, I think it was so obvious now. Since he owns this manor, then that only means the boss is not normal, even if he''s young. Let''s just guard this place, and from his expression and the pressure he gives, we know that some trouble must have occurred," Lewis explained. Alexander''s figure then appeared in the mountain range. In just a few seconds, his speed was so fast that he was outside the ''Summit Heights''. He first stopped in the road to think for a moment. His mind wandered, trying to think who had the power to kidnap his boss, Valentine. But after a long time, he had no idea who could it be. Then, an idea just emerged in his mind. "Should I try to ask those people? Well, since I''m already on their hate list, making another trouble is not a problem," Alexander thought inwardly. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His target to ask for information is the Black Serpent Gang, since they are involved in bad things. So, maybe they had lots of people in the city to know who kidnapped her boss. But what he didn''t know was that this group was the one who actually kidnapped her boss. Remembering the location of the bar, his figure turned into a blur as he ran towards the foot of the mountain, leaving many afterimages. What he didn''t know was that in the trees, someone was looking at him with a surprised look on his face. "Seventh level of the Spirit Convergence Stage! Has the Young Master become a cultivator?" The man exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment. Chapter 99 - 99 Levels for Cultivation Earlier this morning, Yuno had already taken the flight in their place. Despite having the ability to fly to Iloilo in just seconds, he obediently followed his master''s commands and took the flight silently. As a servant he must follow orders unquestioningly, he was unaware that Max, his master and the father of Alexander, seated in the room, had recalled something important. "Wait, can''t Yuno fly? Why did I waste my time to book a flight for him?" Max exclaimed, looking at the shut door. "Hmm, maybe acting like a normal person had made me gotten used to it," He stated as the scene changed where Yuno got off the plane. He then followed the coordinates from which his young master was residing in, with their ability to gather information. It''s just a piece of cake for them to know where the young master resides. When he arrived at the place, he hid his presence, even Alexander could not detect him. He was very happy to see his young master living well. He wanted to show up but stopped himself, since he was greatly instructed that he must not show himself. He could also see that his young master looked so mature and manly since the image he remembered when he was a child was a delicate and cute kid. "Young master, really grow up this past few years," Yuno muttered, with tears sliding down his cheeks. But what made him shocked is that there was actually a beautiful woman residing in his young master place, and another one is a cute little child. He never considered the possibility that the little girl could be his young master''s daughter, given that the mother was human and the Ashbourne family''s lineage and race deemed childbirth a miracle. However, if she were really just a normal human girl, it would no longer be a miracle, as no child would result from their union, regardless of the number of attempts. "The young master''s residence is truly magnificent," Yuno mused. The records suggested it was an investment from his childhood, but that seemed unlikely. Since who could invest in a manor worth billions at such a young age? Yet, Yuno didn''t dwell on it; what mattered was that his young master had a home. He was watching this outside the house and in the window, without Aeloria, Anya, and Alexander noticing. When Alexander then got to work, he was stunned since he had a big manor, but why need to work in a restaurant? He greatly wondered if his young master had a weird fetish to still pretend to be a poor person. When Alexander rode the pickup truck, he was also following, and heard their conversation. He was surprised that a man at the last stage of the Martial Warrior Stage seemed to know the family he served. This is when he saw the scene where his young master revealed his strength. When he disappeared at the gate, the fluctuation caused Yuno to detect his current level. Which is the Spirit Convergence Stage. At this stage, the Core Nexus was already formed, and what is left is to fill that with Aether in order to advance to the next level. If Alexander just walked away normally, Yuno would not have noticed this. "How did the young master break through to the Martial Warrior Stage without a proper meditation technique to draw aether into the body? His bloodline is still sealed, yet his talent is already formidable. I can''t imagine how monstrous it would be if he went back home to unseal it," Yuno exclaimed excitedly. To understand the cultivation levels better, here is the cultivation scaling level. Martial Warrior Stage (10 Levels of Body Refinement) Skin Strengthening - Developing a tougher, more resilient skin. Muscle Building - Enhancing muscle density and strength. Tendon Conditioning - Increasing flexibility and reaction speed. Bone Hardening - Strengthening bones to withstand pressure. Marrow Fortification - Improving bone marrow for better regeneration. Organ Enhancement - Fortifying internal organs for stamina. Digestive Boost - Strengthening the digestive system for energy. Meridian Activation - Enhancing the main meridians for energy flow. Vein Refinement - Enhancing the body''s energy pathways to improve overall energy flow and control. Full Body Refinement - Achieving complete physical and spiritual harmony. Spirit Convergence Stage Level 1-9: Drawing Aether into the body, storing it in the Core Nexus. The Core Nexus is located in the lower abdomen, just below the navel. It''s the central point where the body''s energy converges and is stored, serving as the primary reservoir and control center for Aether. Think of it as the core of your power, where you gather and focus your strength. [If you recall the moment he absorbed the Aether stone, that was when he formed the Core Nexus.] Spirit Core Stage Level 1-9: Transforming liquid Aether into a Spirit Core. Body Aperture Stage: Primary: 120 energy channels Intermediate: 250 energy channels S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Advanced: 400 energy channels Peak: 500-800 energy channels [The more energy channels a cultivator unlocks, the stronger they become. However, the ability to unlock numerous channels depends on one''s talent. Some cultivators only reach an intermediate stage before advancing, which results in a weaker foundation.] Mortal Ascendance Stage Level 1-9: Aether is stored in cells, transforming the body from mortal to spirit body. Planetary Sovereign Stage Level 1-9: Mastery over Aether flow, enabling planetary jumps. [In this level, traveling to space is possible, and the cultivator can also breathe in space.] Stellar Command Stage Level 1- 9: Gaining basic control over spatial dimensions, allowing the creation of personal spatial domains. Galactic Confluence Stage Level 1- 9: Breaking down celestial cores into stardust, enhancing planetary energies and strength. Universal Unification Stage 1-9 Celestial Nebula Stage 1-9 Celestial Sovereign Stage Level 1-9: Integrating the essence of mental strength into the physical body and core energy source, achieving a perfect unity of mind, body, and spirit Celestial Lord Stage 1-9: Have an inner world. [Celestial Lords form cosmic runes and can borrow the laws of the universe.] lifespan - 100 billion years Universal Monarch Stage: They need to condense laws of origin. lifespan - 500 billion years Monarchs can completely control the laws of the universe. They are the masters of laws. If you want to become a Monarch, you need to master universal law. Most Monarchs usually master only a single law. With that one mastery the cultivator can become something like that. [For instance, mastery of the Law of Death allows a cultivator to resurrect the dead and achieve immortality. However, such mastery cannot be attained merely by declaring it.] Eternal Dominion Stage Level 1-9: Mastery of cosmic laws, achieving near-immortality. Life Span - 1 trillion years Boundless - Requires a single condensation core of all celestial arts, granting near-omnipotence. Lifespan - Infinite ... (Share your thoughts on what you think about this level scaling) In the car, Benjamin sat in the passenger seat as Shanks drove towards the mountain. They continued driving until they reached the abandoned factory. At the gate, they observed several armed men with weapons such as AK rifles. Despite this, Benjamin felt no fear, his trust in Shanks had no bounds. He had faced many death situations, but till today, he still survived. "Master, let''s go down," Shanks spoke as Benjamin nodded his head. Getting out of the car, the men were pointing the AKs at them. Their fingers were on the triggers, ready to shoot if they saw any movement. Shanks was in the front, covering Benjamin. His face was calm, not scared at all. Then, a man just behind those men holding the guns walked towards them. "Put down your guns. We''ve been waiting for you, Master Benjamin, and your mysterious protector. Why don''t you go inside? Miss Valentine has been waiting for you. Why don''t you have a look at her right now?" The man, who was well-built, carrying only a pistol attached to his pants, said. He was smoking a tobacco like a cool mafia, even though he wasn''t really cool. Shanks, hearing this, really wanted to beat them all up. But Benjamin held him back as he calmed down. "Show us the way," Benjamin said to the guy. "Sure," he responded as the gate opened. The two then followed the guy. There were lots of people inside the place, some playing poker or arm wrestling while others lazing around. The guy then took them inside a warehouse, and when the door was opened, Shanks'' anger flared. Even Benjamin felt his breathing turn hot, as his nostrils flared, seeing his daughter''s pitiful state. She was on the sofa and was being taken pictures of that bad man while she was left powerless. She wasn''t touched, so you guys can calm down since there''s no "netorare" tag. Shanks, who was about to move, was stopped by a shout. "If you move at least an inch without my permission, then I can''t fathom that the young miss''s head will go Bosh!" the big man said, who was behind Valentine, pointing the muzzle of the gun at the back of her head. Benjamin held Shanks'' hand to calm him down and help him consider the overall situation. They were at a disadvantage because there were many guns in the surrounding area. "If I can get within about 30 meters, I can save the young lady," Shanks whispered to Benjamin. Upon hearing this, Benjamin nodded silently, formulating a plan. Shanks was confident that by concentrating the energy in his legs, he could burst forth at a speed ten times that of a human. Covering the 30 meters in just a blink of an eye, Benjamin closed his eyes as the plan solidified in his mind. Chapter 100 - 100 Power Benjamin''s mind worked quickly, analyzing the room and their precarious situation. The big man behind Valentine was tense, his finger hovering over the trigger of the gun pressed to her head. Valentine seeing his father, the look of fear in her eyes disappear when she also saw the glimpse of his uncle Shanks. "Dad!" she bellowed, which made the man frowned from the shout as he struck the muzzle of the gun a little in the back of her head making her in pain. Benjamin clenched his teeth as the big man threatened her daughter, his tone cold and deadly. "Stop shouting. Your voice is annoying," the man said, making Valentine bite her lip in frustration. Around them, armed men lounged casually, some standing guard, ready to draw their guns at the slightest movement. He stole a glance at Shanks, whose calm exterior belied the simmering rage beneath. Benjamin knew they needed a good plan. One wrong move, and Valentine''s life would be over in an instant. "Shanks, listen," Benjamin whispered, keeping his eyes on the big man. "We need a distraction, something to draw his attention long enough for you to close in. Let me handle it. Just be ready." Shanks gave a small nod, his gaze unwavering, his body coiled like a spring ready to explode into action. Benjamin turned his attention to the leader, the man with the gun pointed at Valentine. "Alright, let''s talk," he said in a clear, commanding voice, raising his hands slightly to signal he meant no harm. The big man narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious but curios enough to listen. "Talk? What could you possibly say to change this situation, old man?" Benjamin just smiled faintly, "You don''t want to do this. You must be a hired killer, right? And I''m sure your boss values negotiation over unnecessary bloodshed. Killing her now would be a waste, don''t you think? After all, leverage is only valuable while it''s alive." The big man hearing this could not but laugh for a moment, the faintest grin was crossing his face. Around the room, a few of the armed men stopped what they were doing to watch the exchange filled with amusement. Benjamin was unaware that their boss intended to have them all killed in the most gruesome way. "You think you can sweet-talk your way out of this?" the big man scoffed, but his grip on Valentine shifted slightly. Benjamin took a step forward, keeping his movements deliberate. "I think you''re smarter than you look. You know who I am, don''t you? I''ve got the kind of connections that could make you very rich¡ªor very dead¡ªdepending on how this plays out." The big man chuckled darkly, clearly amused but also slightly intrigued. "And what exactly are you offering?" he said playing with him, since their boss is about to arrive. Benjamin tilted his head slightly, pretending to mull it over. "I''ll offer you something priceless: an opportunity to walk out of this alive." The big man barked out a laugh, the sound filling the room. It was the reaction Benjamin had hoped for, an overconfident man who enjoyed being the center of attention. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Benjamin continued speaking, he subtly shifted his body, angling himself away from Shanks to give him a clearer path to Valentine. "Of course, that depends on whether you''ve got the guts to negotiate or if you''re just a trigger-happy thug." That final jab was enough. The big man''s face twisted with annoyance as he stepped forward, his focus entirely on Benjamin now. "You''ve got some nerve, old man. Keep talking, and I might just¡ª" He never finished the sentence. Not knowing that Shanks was stepping a little closer to close the distance and when it was finally met. He exploded into motion, his body a blur as he closed the distance in an instant. The armed men barely had time to react as Shanks crossed the thirty meters separating him from Valentine, his speed defying human comprehension. Before the big man could turn, Shanks was already there. His hand struck like iron, disarming the gun in a fluid motion while his other hand delivered a bone-crushing blow to the man''s chest, sending him sprawling. The room erupted into chaos as the armed men scrambled to respond, but Shanks was already shielding Valentine, his eyes glowing with lethal intent. When the big man was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud, the armed men quickly raised their guns and unleashed a flurry of bullets. Shanks, fully prepared, grabbed Valentine and moved in an instant, reaching Benjamin and pulling him away as bullets rained down around them. The big man, blood dripping down his face, watched the scene with burning anger. Realization hit him¡ªhe had been completely outplayed. Wiping the blood from his lips, he grabbed an AK from one of his men and unleashed a barrage of bullets. Even with Valentine and Benjamin in his arms, Shanks dodged effortlessly, weaving through the hail of gunfire. Over 50 guns aimed at his back, yet none could touch him. "Shit! The rumors were true, this guy can dodge bullets like a damn magician!" the big man bellowed, frustration growing as he reloaded his rifle and took aim again. But Shanks moved in a zigzag, dodging every shot with precision, making it impossible to land a hit. Shanks then saw a steel crate stacking together. Gripping tightly the two hands, he rushed towards the place seeing what he was planning the big man shouted to aim in advance. But it was still no use. Shanks was too fast, reaching the steel crates just in time. Bullets rained down, sparking as they struck the metal. Valentine covered her ears as she lay on the ground, trembling. Benjamin hugged her protectively from behind, shielding her in case any stray bullet managed to break through. Shanks crouched low behind the crates, his sharp eyes scanning the chaotic scene. Bullets continued to ricochet around him, but he remained calm and focused. "Stay down. and don''t move," he said firmly, glancing back at Valentine and Benjamin before turning his attention to the armed men. Without another word, Shanks darted out of cover, his speed so blinding that the nearest gunmen barely had time to react. Valentine and Benjamin had no time to react as he moved so fast. "Over there! Shoot him!" one of them yelled. Shanks zigzagged across the floor, the sound of gunfire chasing after him. He leaped onto a nearby stack of crates, his powerful legs propelling him upward. From his elevated position, he spotted his first target¡ªa man reloading his AK. Shanks sprang forward, grabbing the rifle barrel mid-air, twisting it with a sharp motion. The man''s finger squeezed the trigger reflexively, sending a spray of bullets into two of his own allies before Shanks yanked the gun free and struck him across the temple with the stock. The man collapsed as Shanks hit the ground, rifle now in hand. "Take him down!" shouted another, but Shanks was already moving. He rolled into cover behind a steel drum, popped out, and fired a single shot. The bullet whizzed through the air, striking a gunman squarely between the eyes. Without pausing, he adjusted his aim and fired again, hitting another in the throat. The man gurgled and fell, his weapon clattering uselessly to the ground. The remaining men scattered, trying to reposition themselves, but Shanks wouldn''t allow it. He dashed toward a group attempting to take cover behind a forklift. As one man peeked out to aim, Shanks launched the rifle at him like a spear, the heavy stock slamming into his jaw and sending him sprawling. Unarmed but undeterred, Shanks closed the distance with the other two. The first raised his gun to fire, but Shanks grabbed the barrel and twisted it upward, forcing the man to shoot into the ceiling. With a sharp kick to the man''s knee, Shanks dropped him to the ground, then delivered a precise strike to the neck, rendering him unconscious. The last man swung the butt of his rifle at Shanks, but he ducked effortlessly, countering with an upward palm strike that sent the gunman stumbling back. Shanks followed up with a roundhouse kick to the chest, knocking the man into a stack of crates that toppled over him. By now, the remaining gunmen were panicking. "He''s too fast! Shoot, shoot!" Bullets flew wildly as Shanks dashed between obstacles. He snatched a pistol from one of the fallen men and moved with grace. He slid across the floor, firing as he moved, each shot precise. One man fell with a bullet between his eyes. Another dropped his gun and screamed as a round tore through his shoulder. Shanks ducked behind a crate, reloaded the pistol in a fluid motion, then popped out and fired three more shots. The first hit a man in the chest, the second grazed another''s hand, and the third found its mark in the head of a gunman who had been hiding behind a stack of barrels. With only about 70-75 men remaining and about 20 of them were down, Shanks shifted tactics. He sprinted straight at them, dodging their bullets with quick, unpredictable movements. One man aimed directly at him, only to gasp as Shanks vaulted over a a load bearing post made out of metal and landed behind him. A quick chop to the neck sent the man crumpling. The last four grouped together, their hands shaking as they pointed their rifles at him. "Stay back!" one of them screamed. Shanks smirked, darting to the side. He grabbed a discarded AK from the ground, swung out of cover, and fired a short burst. The bullets struck two men, sending them crashing to the ground. The remaining two tried to retreat, but Shanks was on them in an instant. He fired twice, both shots hitting their marks cleanly. The warehouse fell silent as about 60 men remaining looking at this carnage, the stench of gunpowder lingering in the air. Shanks stood amidst the carnage, his breathing steady as he surveyed the scene. Before he could take another step, a slow, deliberate clap echoed through the room. Clap. Clap. Clap. Shanks turned sharply, his senses was on high alert as a figure emerged from the entranced door, his slow applause filling the tense air. "Well, well," the figure drawled, a smirk playing on its lips. "I must admit, that was quite the performance." he remarked. Chapter 101 - 101 The big man and the other gang seeing an older man appeared they were confuse on who he is, but when they saw their boss behind that old man. They were ecstatic since the backup arrived and that means this old man must be the one to deal with this monster that can dodge bullets. Shanks seeing the old man appearance he did not let down his guard, he can feel that behind the old man weak and frail look. Its gaze and the way he looked at him is filled with vitality. Jonathan who was beside the man and seeing the death of his own people felt his heart ached. They were his best people when it comes to killing now over 25% of them were dead. He looked at the man who was holding the AK looking at them filled with coldness, he also shot back not being scared even if he felt his killing intent. Viper Ronin, put his hand on his chin as he surveyed the man in front of him. Other than learning how to used the energy to enhance his speed and strength he found nothing special other than that. His pale lips curved into an amused smile as he spoke, "So you must be the guy who can dodge bullets, a failed gradnmaster if I am right, you should have won this round but too bad you met me" Viper Ronin, bellowed a laugh. Hearing the loud conversation Benjamin and Valentine got out of hiding, as he see the person he most hated the anger in his flowed like a river. "So its actually you, shorty! I''m not surprised since people like you are deemed shameless. No doubt about it," Benjamin bellowed. Hearing the word short, Jonathan''s eyes darkened as he stared daggers at Benjamin. All of those people who mocked him for his height had faith worse than death. Like cutting their legs, making them shorter, Benjamin, not afraid one bit, also glared daggers at him as lightning sparks began to crackle from their gaze. Jonathan then revealed a smile as he looked at him with frostness, "You do know that, in this battle I have the upper hand. Do you really think, that when you say those words you can have a good life after this?" he said his voice laced with venom. Benjamin just laughed hysterically, "Oh no, I''m very scared." he responded with disdain. Seeing this smoke puff up on his forehead, Jonathan''s gaze wandered as it landed on a person, making him smile gleefully. Jonathan then glanced back at Benjamin with a playful look, "That''s right, you are not afraid, but what if what you said was reflected in your daughter?" Hearing what he said Benjamin face darkened, seeing this Jonathan was delighted. "Well, it will be a waste for your daughter''s beauty. So that''s why when this is all done, I will let all of my brothers release their anger on Miss Valentine, I think Miss Valentine would enjoy it as well since she''s a slut, right?" he said, eyeing Valentine. Listening to his disgusting words, Valentine''s face was red with anger as she pointed at him with a shaky hand. Shanks, who heard his foul mouth, looked at him deeply. He exerted a powerful pressure that caused Jonathan to feel heavy all over him. Looking at the man who was looking at him so deadly, he was sweating bullets. Witnessing this, Viper Ronin released his aura as well to deflect his pressure, making Jonathan breathe regularly. Shanks, seeing that his pressure was destroyed, did not care. "You better watch your mouth, or I''ll chop that off and feed it to the dogs. " This is when his aura was fully revealed as a commander on the frontlines. His words and momentum right now carried a lot of power that made Jonathan shake his leg, but for Viper Ronin, hearing what he said was just a joke. "You lived up to your words, you do know that, right? As a martial artist, it must be proven through physical means, not verbal means," Viper said calmly. Hearing what he said, he smirked as Shanks dropped the AK in his hands. When the rifle was about to touch the ground, Shanks burst into great speed as the ground beneathed him trembled. Seeing him closing in the distance with the speed of sound, Viper Ronin also rushed as the both of them exchanged fist. When Viper Ronin threw a fist, Shanks''s fist collided, creating a loud thud that sent small shockwaves through the battlefield. "Don''t even think about hurting my employer while I''m still here," Viper Ronin said calmly. Shanks remained silent, and without hesitation, he launched forward with a sidekick aimed directly at Viper Ronin''s midsection. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The old man sidestepped effortlessly, twisting his body with the agility of a viper and countering with a lightning-fast strike to Shanks'' ribs. The impact resounded like a drumbeat, sending Shanks sliding back several feet, his boots carving trails into the cemented ground. "Uncle," Valentine shouted, full of worry. Benjamin, seeing this, was silent as he stared at the battle unfolding, while Benjamin on the side was very happy. "You''re fast," Viper Ronin remarked, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "But speed without precision is a wasted energy." Shanks didn''t respond. Instead, he wiped the corner of his mouth, smearing blood across his cheek, and surged forward again, this time unleashing a barrage of kicks and punches with ferocity. His strikes were relentless, each one aimed to overwhelm, but Viper Ronin moved like water, evading with uncanny fluidity. When the opening presented itself, the old man retaliated. His palm glowed faintly with an eerie green energy as he struck Shanks'' shoulder. The impact wasn''t just physical¡ªit sent a paralyzing wave through Shanks'' arm, forcing him to stagger. "A venom palm," Viper Ronin explained nonchalantly. "It''s my signature technique. Within minutes, your limbs will feel like lead." Shanks gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he adjusted his stance. "Is that all you''ve got, old man?" he taunted, even as he felt the creeping numbness. Viper Ronin''s smile faded as he lunged forward with a series of precise, deadly strikes, each one targeting vital points on Shanks'' body. The younger man blocked as best as he could, but the difference in skill and experience became glaringly obvious. A crushing elbow to the chest sent Shanks to his knees, gasping for air. "You''re outmatched," Viper Ronin said coldly, standing over him. But Shanks wasn''t finished. With sheer force of will, he planted his hands on the ground and pushed himself back to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes burning with fire. "I wasn''t hired to give up," Shanks said, wiping his lips. "If you think this is my limit, you''re mistaken. Now, old man, you''d better be ready¡ªbecause I''m done holding back." The atmosphere shifted as Shanks'' aura flared. His muscles tensed, veins pulsing as he tapped into his core strength. The ground cracked beneath his feet as he steadied himself, his body exuding raw power. Viper Ronin narrowed his eyes, his stance shifting as he prepared for the next round. "Interesting," he muttered. "Show me what you''ve got, boy." The two launched at each other once more, this time unleashing their full arsenal. Shanks'' techniques became heavier and more devastating, his fists and kicks tearing through the air like cannonballs. Meanwhile, Viper Ronin''s movements were sharper and deadlier, each strike aimed to cripple or kill. Shanks roared as he threw a thunderous punch, only for Viper Ronin to deflect it with a twisting parry, countering with his glowing venom palm once again. Shanks ducked under it and retaliated with a spinning kick that grazed the old man''s shoulder, forcing him back slightly. "You''re improving," Viper Ronin admitted, "but this ends now." The old man shifted into a deadly stance, his aura condensing into a visible serpent-like shape around him. "Venom Fang Barrage!" he shouted, striking with rapid, venom-laced blows that seemed to strike from every angle at once. Shanks gritted his teeth, weathering the storm of attacks as best he could, his body battered and bruised. But with every strike he endured, his resolve only strengthened. As the final blow landed, sending Shanks sprawling to the ground, he simply rolled to his side and stood up again, defiantly. His grin, though bloody, was unshaken. "Dad, is uncle going to lose?" Valentine said with tears on her face, seeing this very scene. Benjamin, hearing her cries, comforted her. "Trust your uncle. He''s still not taking the battle seriously. But I think after all that blow, he will be back to his usual self," he said with confidence. He knows that Shanks was holding back, the last he saw that scene is when he fought someone an assassin. He clearly saw the battle and could clearly grasp Shanks''s skill, making him in awe. "Your techniques are impressive," Shanks admitted, cracking his neck. "And if I''m right, you are not a grandmaster, but you change your practice by joining those people with different paths." He said this as he stood there without feeling any pain whatsoever. "If I''m right, when you can''t breakthrough to the grandmaster, you decided to become a cultivator? Am I right?" he said, looking at him, making viper Ronin narrow his eyes. "You''re really unlucky since, I''ve fought a lot of people with the same level as you and get this I never lose. Now it''s time for you to see what true power of a warrior has." When he said this, Shanks aura surged again, brighter and more intense than before, as he prepared turned serious. Chapter 102 - 102 The path of a warrior and a cultivator differ in a fundamental way. Warriors get stronger by pushing their bodies to the limit¡ªthrough intense physical training and constant refinement. Cultivators, on the other hand, use specialized breathing techniques to absorb and control spiritual energy, letting them rise beyond normal human boundaries. While warriors can reach impressive levels of strength through sheer hard work and discipline, they eventually hit a natural ceiling. Cultivators, however, can keep growing, tapping into the energy of the world around them and surpassing the limits that hold warriors back. But it doesnt mean that your a warrior you can become a cultivator, one must possessed talent for it. Viper Ronin''s smile faded as he felt the sudden shift in Shanks'' aura. It was overwhelming, primal, and raw, like the roar of a tiger shaking the heavens. The air itself seemed to tremble under the force of the man''s presence, and for the first time in their fight, Viper Ronin''s confidence wavered a little. "What... what is this power?" Viper Ronin muttered, his narrowed eyes betraying his calm expression. Shanks then took a step forward, the ground beneath him cracking and groaning under the weight of his power. His muscles rippled with energy, each movement exuding a destructive force. "Let me show you that a warrior can go toe-to-toe with a cultivator," he said, his voice calm but menacing." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Let me show you what it means to stand against someone who''s forged their strength through sheer will and training." Shanks finished. Without warning, Shanks surged forward, his speed even greater than before. His first strike was a thunderous straight punch that Viper Ronin barely managed to deflect, but the sheer force behind it sent him skidding back. Shanks didn''t stop, he followed with a spinning elbow, aiming for Viper Ronin''s temple. The old man ducked, countering with a swift palm strike aimed at Shanks'' heart. The green venomous glow returned, promising to paralyze on contact. But Shanks twisted his body mid-strike, narrowly evading the blow and retaliating with a devastating upward knee. The impact struck Viper Ronin''s ribcage, sending him flying back several feet. He landed on his feet but stumbled slightly, his breath coming in short gasps. His hand instinctively went to his side, feeling the sharp pain radiating from the strike. "That''s impossible," Viper Ronin hissed. "How can a mere warrior overpower me?"He bellowed with a disbelief face. Shanks didn''t answer. Instead, he crouched low and exploded forward again, instantly closing the distance. His fists became a blur as he unleashed a series of punches, each one carrying the weight of a sledgehammer. Viper Ronin blocked as best he could, but the force behind each blow made his arms tremble. Shanks'' techniques weren''t just powerful; they were explosive and calculated. Every strike was aimed to exploit a weakness, and every movement was designed to disrupt Viper Ronin''s rhythm. "The Great Tiger Strike!" Shanks roared, his fist glowing faintly as he drove it forward with all his might. The punch collided with Viper Ronin''s hastily raised guard, shattering the defensive stance and sending him hurtling backward. He crashed into a steel pillar, the impact denting the metal and leaving him gasping for air. Seeing this scene the spectators were in awe, it was like watching a freaking movie unfolding before them. "Dad, this... is this Uncle Shanks'' true power?" Valentine uttered as her eyes trembled, looking at the earlier battle. Benjamin nodded his head. He could not help but sigh in relief since the odds of the battle were on their side. "Boss, is the old man going to lose? Should we prepare the backup plan?" Ethan whispered in Jonathan''s ear. Hearing the soft whisper, Jonathan was brought back in his daze. But he felt a little conflicted about whether their backup plan was even going to work. The old man he hired can block bullets with his fingers, so if he was defeated, that means this man can also deflect bullets. "Don''t let our man in the forest get close; tell them that the snipers must be prepared if they saw us leave the warehouse. If Master Viper loses, then we''ll just have to retreat for now." he replied to Ethan, and he accepted his boss''s words since the fight was not over yet. The old man who wasn''t finished yet. He gritted his teeth as he pushed himself back up, his aura flaring as he steadied himself. "You''ll really dare to beat me like this; I admit that you, a warrior, are a strong one," Viper Ronin admitted, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "But I''m not out of tricks," he said gloomily. Viper Ronin then shifted into a low stance, his hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. The serpent-like aura around him grew denser, coiling tightly as if preparing to strike. "Venom Spiral!" he shouted, launching forward with blinding speed. The technique was a flurry of twisting strikes, each one aimed at Shanks'' vital points. The attacks came from every direction, forcing Shanks to rely on his instincts and reflexes. He dodged and parried, but a few strikes managed to graze him, leaving faint green marks on his skin. "I can feel your strength waning," Viper Ronin said smugly, his strikes relentless. But Shanks only grinned through the pain. "Waning? You''ve barely scratched the surface of what I can do." With a burst of energy, Shanks countered. His movements became sharper, more feral, as if channeling the spirit of a tiger. He caught Viper Ronin''s wrist mid-strike, twisting it with brutal efficiency and pulling the old man off balance. With his other hand, Shanks delivered a bone-shattering punch to Viper Ronin''s chest, sending him flying once again. This time, the old man didn''t land gracefully. He tumbled across the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His breathing was labored, his body battered and bruised. Viper Ronin looked at him with a pale face full of disbelief. " You are actually still holding back?" he said as he pointed at him with a shaking hand. Shanks just stood tall, as his aura still raging like a storm. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, the look in his eyes was that of a predator. "Is that all you''ve got, Viper Ronin? If so, you''d better stay down," he said heavily. The battlefield fell silent, the only sound being Viper Ronin''s ragged breaths. From the sidelines, Benjamin clenched his fists in awe, while Valentine''s tears had been replaced by a glimmer of hope. Shanks'' gaze remained fixed on the old man, waiting for his next move. But before anything could happen, a slow, deliberate clapping sound echoed through the space, cutting through the tension like a knife. He was very confused since why was someone clapping again? Viper Ronin, hearing the loud clap, looked at the source. It was a man clad in a gray robe, and it seemed to be a middle-aged man. His face gives off the feeling of someone strong and not to be mess with, and a small leak of his aura can cause the surrounding air to shake. This made Shanks, who was very confident earlier, become serious. The man in front of him is not an easy one. "Is he one of his accomplices?" Shanks muttered. As the man continues to walk step by step, undeterred by the hundreds of gazes. Stepping into the light was a man in his early thirties with a strong, athletic build that radiated power. He wore a sleeveless off-white tunic with black trim, slightly frayed at the edges, tied with a black sash around his waist. His loose pants were tucked into black footwraps, and black wrappings covered his forearms. His expression was that of amusement, and his short, dark hair was slightly messy, adding to his rugged look. That man then stopped just in front of Viper Ronin, looking at Shanks with a grin, "So, you said that a warrior can go toe-to-toe with a cultivator earlier, right?" he said calmly. Viper Ronin, hearing him speak, was happy as he shouted, "Senior Brother, you actually followed me?" he said to the guy. The man looked back, still smiling. "Well, I was bored, and since you are a new disciple of the sect and this is your first mission, I decided to follow you for fun," he said as he put his fingers in his ears, wriggling them inside, trying to find a booger. He was so relaxed that felt like everything in his grasp was under his control, Viper Ronin hearing this was very delighted. He joined this sect just weeks ago, so he was still a newbie. Even though he was old, he was still accepted because he had some talent. But the man in front of him is a core disciple in the sect, and his strength is 10¡ªmaybe 20 times stronger than his. He is not sure, but he knows that being a core disciple of a strong sect is no joke. Shanks''s seeing the man being so carefree angered him a little, but he did not rush. He had to think before he moved since he felt danger. For years on the battlefield, he developed this kind of sense, so he trusted it very much. The man then looked back at Shanks as he stood there with both hands in his pockets. "So can you repeat what you said again? About a warrior can go toe-to-toe?" He stopped smiling, his eyes narrowing. Chapter 103 - 103 Shanks, hearing this, did not back down. He responded with a cold look. "I meant every word I say. You cultivators are no different than us Warriors. Why don''t you prove if my judgment is wrong?" "Ohh," the man said as he stepped one foot and vanished on the spot like air. Shanks barely blinked before the man vanished from sight. His instincts kicked in, and he sidestepped just as a fist sliced through the air where his head had been a moment ago. The force of the blow created a gust of wind that sent dust scattering across the warehouse floor. "Fast," Shanks muttered, already on high alert. Before he could fully process the attack, the man reappeared, this time delivering a sharp kick to Shanks'' ribs. The blow sent him skidding across the floor, crashing into a stack of crates that toppled over him. Shanks coughed, clutching his side as he pushed himself back to his feet. The man stood casually, hands back in his pockets, a faint smirk on his face. "You''re slower than I expected," he said, his voice calm, almost mocking. Shanks steadied his breath, his aura flaring as he prepared himself. He rushed forward with incredible speed, his fists glowing faintly as he unleashed a series of rapid punches. "Steel Tiger Strike!" he roared, his strikes aimed at the man''s vital points. But the cultivator moved like water, effortlessly dodging each blow with minimal effort. His movements were so fluid and precise that it felt as though he was toying with Shanks. As Shanks threw a powerful right hook, the man caught it mid-air, gripping his fist tightly. "Predictable," the man said with a sigh before twisting Shanks'' arm and delivering a crushing knee to his stomach. The force of the impact made Shanks doubled over, the air leaving his lungs as he stumbled backward. But he didn''t fall. Instead, he planted his feet firmly, his face twisting in pain but his determination unshaken. "You''re tough, I''ll give you that," the man said, still looking relaxed. "But toughness alone doesn''t close the gap between a warrior and a cultivator." Shanks wiped the blood from his lips and took a deep breath. He lunged again, this time feinting a punch before spinning into a powerful sidekick. The blow connected, landing squarely on the man''s chest. But the man didn''t budge. "You call that power?" he mocked, grabbing Shanks'' leg before twisting it and tossing him across the room like a ragdoll. Shanks crashed into the concrete wall, as a spiderwebbing crack formed from the impact. The cultivator didn''t wait, appearing in front of Shanks before he could recover. He drove an elbow into Shanks'' shoulder, followed by a backhanded strike that sent him sprawling across the floor. Shanks groaned as he tried to get up, his body battered and bruised. The pain was overwhelming, but he refused to let it break him. He forced himself to his feet again, his stance shaky but defiant. "Still standing? Impressive," the man said, dusting off his tunic. "But you''re wasting my time." With that, the man''s aura surged, and he vanished once more. Shanks barely had time to react as the cultivator appeared behind him, striking the back of his knee and forcing him to kneel. "Tiger Fist" Shanks roared, spinning into a desperate counterattack, his fists glowing as he unleashed a barrage of strikes. The sheer force of his technique cracked the ground beneath them, sending shockwaves through the air. But the cultivator was unfazed. He deflected each strike with ease, his movements a blur. "Too slow," he said coldly, driving his palm into Shanks'' chest with enough force to send him flying backward. Shanks hit the ground hard, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His body was battered, his breathing ragged, but his eyes still burned with determination. The cultivator stood over him, his expression one of mild disappointment. "Is this the best you can do? I expected more from someone who claims warriors are equal to cultivators." Shanks clenched his fists, his battered body trembling as he tried to push himself up once more. Blood dripped from his mouth, but he refused to back down. "You''re strong," Shanks admitted, his voice hoarse. "But this fight isn''t over yet." The cultivator''s smirk returned. "Bold words from someone lying in the ground." The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the air heavy with tension. Shanks'' body ached, but his resolve remained unbroken. The fight wasn''t over¡ªhe would make sure of that. Shanks forced himself to his feet, his body trembling under the strain of his injuries. Blood trickled down his forehead, and his breaths came in ragged gasps, but his resolve remained unshaken. "This isn''t over," Shanks muttered, his voice low but resolute. The cultivator tilted his head, hands still tucked casually into his pockets. "Still standing? I have to give you credit, warrior¡ªyou''ve got guts. But guts alone won''t save you." Shanks closed his eyes, his aura beginning to shift. His breathing slowed as he focused, pulling every ounce of energy from the depths of his being. Suddenly, his body erupted with a fiery aura, golden and fierce, surging around him like a blazing inferno. The ground beneath him cracked and trembled under the force of his power. His muscles swelled slightly, veins bulging as his strength tripled instantly. "Ten minutes," Shanks whispered to himself. "That''s all I''ve got." The cultivator raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? Finally, getting serious are we? Let''s see what this little trick of yours can do." With a roar, Shanks launched forward, moving faster than ever before. His fist slammed into the cultivator''s guard with such force that it created a shockwave, sending debris flying in all directions. The cultivator staggered slightly, his smirk faltering for the first time. Shanks didn''t give him a chance to recover. He unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes¡ªpunches, kicks, elbows¡ªall with the force of a raging tiger. Each blow cracked the air, and the cultivator was forced to dodge and block with precision, his movements no longer as casual as before. "Steel Tiger Barrage!" Shanks roared, his fists glowing brightly as he delivered a flurry of powerful punches. The cultivator finally looked annoyed, his movements still fluid but noticeably faster as he began countering Shanks'' attacks. "Not bad," he said, deflecting a devastating hook. "But still not enough." With a sharp twist, the cultivator grabbed Shanks'' wrist mid-strike and yanked him forward, delivering a crushing knee to his abdomen. Shanks grunted in pain but didn''t back down. He spun out of the hold, using the momentum to deliver a spinning kick that grazed the cultivator''s jaw. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The impact sent the cultivator sliding back a few feet, his expression shifting to mild irritation. "You''re starting to get on my nerves, I''ll give you that as a compliment," the cultivator admitted, brushing his cheek. Shanks didn''t respond. He charged again, his movements wild but powerful, each attack pushing the cultivator further back. For a moment, it seemed like the gap between them was closing. But just as Shanks threw another powerful punch, the cultivator sidestepped effortlessly. He grabbed Shanks'' arm and twisted it behind his back, slamming him face-first into the ground. The golden aura around Shanks flickered slightly as he struggled to break free. "You''re running out of time, aren''t you?" the cultivator said mockingly, pressing his foot onto Shanks'' back. With a roar of defiance, Shanks exploded upward, knocking the cultivator off balance. He turned and delivered an upward punch, his knuckles glowing with raw energy. The cultivator blocked it with one hand, though the force sent him skidding back. He looked at Shanks with a mixture of amusement and boredom. "Is that really all you''ve got?" he said, shaking his head. Shanks'' time was running out. He knew it. His golden aura was already beginning to fade, and his body felt heavier with every second. But he refused to stop. He charged again, pushing himself beyond his limits, delivering a final series of attacks with everything he had left. The cultivator, however, didn''t even get fazed anymore. He dodged and countered with ease, treating Shanks'' power-up as little more than a distraction. As Shanks threw one last desperate punch, the cultivator caught it mid-air, his grip like iron. "Enough," the cultivator said coldly. With a single motion, he drove his fist into Shanks'' chest, the impact sending him flying backward. Shanks crashed into the ground, rolling violently until he came to a stop at Benjamin and Valentine''s feet. His golden aura disappeared entirely, and his body lay motionless, bruised and battered. Valentine gasped, rushing to his side. "Uncle Shanks!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. As she carried him to sit up on the ground. Benjamin knelt beside him; his expression was grim. "You gave everything you had," he said quietly, his fists clenching. The cultivator stood in the distance, his hands back in his pockets, his expression calm and unbothered. "This is the difference between a cultivator and a warrior," he said, his voice echoing through the battlefield. Shanks'' breathing was faint, his body completely spent. But even in his beaten state, his eyes opened slightly, filled with vitality. He had lost, but his will remained unbroken. Chapter 104 - 104 The Call "Quite the fighter are you, huh? Are you still not satisfied," the cultivator asked, narrowing his gaze. Shanks did not say anything. He knew that he had lost, and he could accept that. But if he did not stand up now, they would experience something worse than death. When he was about to stand up from Valentine''s arms, he puked up some blood as it dirtied the ground. "Uncle Shanks, please don''t move, or you''ll just make it worse," Valentine sobbed as she placed her face in his chest. Hearing her cries, he really wanted to fight, even if he could just buy them time to escape, but he couldn''t move after using his ultimate technique, and he was in his weakest state now. Jonathan was absolutely delighted to see this. Earlier, they were going to lose, and now they are winning, talk about luck. He could not help but fathom that apart from warriors, there are actually much scarier people known as cultivators. "I must not offend this person," Jonathan swore in his heart. Walking towards the man, he bowed slightly, not lifting his head up, "Master, thank you very much for helping us solve this problem," he said respectfully. The cultivator, seeing this, was amused, as he had a good impression of this short man. "He really knows how to bootlick, and I liked it very much," he said, licking his lips. "You can stand straight. I''m only bored for a moment. Since my junior is hurt, how can I, a senior, stand by?" the cultivator said proudly. Jonathan, where Ethan was already beside him, nodded their head vigorously as they accepted his words. "Can I ask what this esteemed master''s name is?" he said, cupping his hands with a bow to act very respectfully. The man just stood there, knowing that someone would say it, and that someone was none other than Viper Ronin, who stood up. "If you want to know the identity of my senior brother, then open your eyes," Ronin bellowed as he darted both arms to point at the cultivator. "His name is Ronaldo, also known as the Raging Bull. If you want to know, my senior brother is famous when it comes to doing missions, and he is also ranked 42 in the sect, which had thousands of disciples. Now be grateful that your eyes had it''s moment to bask in the sight of the legendary Raging bull," "If you want to know the full strength of my senior brother, he can even stop a full speed heavy truck with just a punch. When he was fighting that guy, my senior brother was not even taking him seriously at all," Viper Ronin explained with pride since he was the junior. Hearing that a heavy-duty truck could be stopped, all of them were shocked. Even Shanks was in awe. He knew that this was not a boast since the man named Ronaldo was just playing with him. Even with his full strength, he is not confident if he can stop it; receiving injuries was just a small guess. "Wow! Master Ronaldo is actually a god-like existence. It is really an honor for myself to talk to an amazing person like you," Jonathan said, cupping both hands and bowing. This made Ronaldo happy, of course, as he stood tall in the center, basking in the spotlight. "So, master, what are we going to do with them?" Jonathan asked, humblely, for his opinion. Ronaldo, being asked, looked at the three who were on the ground, and his eyes lit up. The woman was actually a beauty, making his eyes glisten. "Well, you can do anything you want to the other two, but do you also need this woman?" Ronaldo spoke as he sideglanced at Jonathan. Hearing what he said, Jonathan knows the meaning of his words. He replied with a smile, knowing that this master was interested in Valentine. Benjamin, who was beside Shanks, was in a dilemma. The master in front of him was taking a liking to her daughter. Even Valentine was afraid, since if he really did that to her, she could do nothing but watch. "No, no, we don''t need him, Master Ronaldo. If you are interested in her, then you can have her if you want," Jonathan replied with a smile. Ronaldo, hearing this, was starting to like this ant in front of him. He then glanced at Valentine, filled with endless ideas about what kind of position he could do with her. Valentine, feeling the strong gaze, began to sweat like crazy as she stood up in front of the two to cover them. "If you want to do it with me, can you please let my father and uncle go!" Valentine cried out loud as she decided. She stood, her back facing the two. Her hand was squeezed into a fist, and her nail pierced her palms. "Valentine, you.." Benjamin stuttered as he stood up; filled with unwillingness, he held his arms. Shanks, not agreeing to her words as, well voiced out as he was lying there, "Young lady, please don''t do that. You will ruin your future." Valentine, hearing her father and uncle''s words, bit her lip as she replied with unwillingness. "Dad, uncle I don''t want you guys to die even if its superficial I still want to try.." she said with tears sliding in her cheeks. Seeing her daughter cry in front of him, Benjamin''s heart felt like it was pierced by thousands of needles. "I should have called for her help; I''m so stupid to go here when my daughter''s life is on the line..." Benjamin regretted it, he regretted it very much that he should have called for help to her. "Young lady, I won''t let you do that. I will give you time to.." He did not finish her words as he puked up another blood round of blood. Shanks felt like passing out, but he was unwilling¡ªvery unwilling¡ªto pass out and do nothing in this situation. He promised her daughter that he would never fail to fulfill her dying wish. But even with a strong will, if he is weak and can''t move, that is only wishful thinking. Ronaldo, hearing what he said, put a hand on his chin. Hearing her cries, Jonathan began to panic. He was afraid that this master would agree, ruining his plan. Ronaldo only hummed as he thought about it. Valentine, who was looking at her with trembling eyes, Ronaldo liked this kind of expression. "Tell me what the purpose of this filming set?" Ronaldo asked, seeing the big couch, carpet, and camera stand. Jonathan, hearing this, did not lie, afraid that he would make the man displeased. "Ahh, master Ronaldo, this is actually to film Valentine, that woman, so we can humiliate her and spread the video throughout every business circle," he replied respectfully. Hearing that reason, Benjamin''s eyes turned blood red as he pulled Valentine to his back, shielding her. "Jonathan you piece of shit, you are really corrupted. You will die a cruel death for this." Benjamin cursed angrily, but what received him was just a scornful smile. "My life and death have nothing with you. If I''m you, you should worry more about yourself more than me," Jonathan said, spitting saliva on the ground. Ronaldo, hearing this reason, finally made up his mind. "That idea of yours is actually good. Let me vent out first and film this beautiful woman so she can cherish this memorable moment. After that, it''s up to you what you want to do. But first, she''s a virgin, right?" he said with a laugh, asking this. Jonathan, hearing his answer, was happy since he did not agree to her terms. "Yes master, we have made lots of investigation that this woman never had any romantic relationship. So, she''s still a virgin." "Then that''s good, this will be much more fun," Ronaldo bellowed with a crooked smile. Valentine trembled, her face was pale. Her last bit of negotiation failed. Benjamin, who was in front, would never move even if he died. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had to protect her daughter even if it was in his last moment. "Then hurry up and prepare for the filming. Well, start now. Just looking at her in despair is making me excited," Ronaldo commanded. Jonathan was about to instruct his men, who were still alive and kicking, but suddenly, his phone rang. The ring was too loud, reverberating throughout the place. He picked it up in his pocket and ended the call. "Sorry about that, master. I''ll do it right aw..." he did not finish his words since they began to ring in his hands again. This made him angry, so he ended the call, but it began to ring again, making his blood boil. Ronaldo looked at him and said, "Just pick up the phone. If he called three times, then that means there''s a problem." "Yes, yes. Master Ronaldo is wise" Jonathan praised as he picked up the call as it began to ring. When he put it in his ears, he shouted angrily, "Can''t you see that we are busy here? Why do you keep calling?" But what received him was a cry from the phone. "Boss, our headquarters was destroyed. He... he disabled each of our men," the voice behind the call cried out. This made the black serpent gang members who were behind hearing the voice in boil anger, thinking that some gangs attacked their base when they were out. "Who was the one causing trouble? Is it from the other gangs?" Jonathan said, feeling angry, since they actually took this chance to attack them. "Um, boss, it''s not a gang, but it''s only one person, and it''s a kid," he responded to the phone. Chapter 105 - 105 Looking for Info Before the events in the mountain, Alexander was back in the bar, where he, Zya, and her other classmates had come. Alexander knows that he has zero connections, and he can only ask this group for information since he already has a grudge against them. Beating them up and asking to investigate where her boss is a good choice, and about revenge? He was not afraid; he literally fought a living wyvern. How could a normal human fight with him? But he''s not going on a killing spree; he''s just going to beat them up. "Should I make my own group?" Alexander muttered, looking at the bar. He stood across the street contemplating that maybe making his own group or organization is a great idea. "Even though I''m strong, I don''t know if I''m the only cultivator since I have never met one. Other than some martial artists who are good at fighting, there seems to be no superhuman, " he said to himself. Alexander scratched the back of his head and decided to think about it in the near future. If he ever finds one, then that means there are people with godlike abilities hiding in this world. While Alexander was thinking about this, he did not notice that an old man was watching him up in the sky, with its perfectly concealed presence. He then crossed the streets, and as he arrived at the entrance door, the guards stopped him. "ID?" the robust man asked Alexander, extending his hand. Alexander stared at it and remembered he had not bought anything, shaking his head as he looked at the big man who was head taller than him. "I did not bring any," Alexander responded calmly. The big man in black could not help but be angry. "Then why did you come here? Kids these days are so ignorant. Don''t you know the rules of this place? Hurry up and leave now, or I''ll beat you up," he glared at Alexander behind his shades. Alexander was hesitant to cause trouble just to gather information. However, since grudges were already begun to deepen, he decided to get straight to the point. He gazed at the man with a calm look. Even though the man was big, he did not show any fear, making the man doubt his menacing look and figure. "Can you take me to one of your bosses?" Alexander asked nicely. The two guards felt like errand boys rather than security guards in the bar, and they were very angry as they looked at the kid who seemed like he would break with just one punch. "Kid, this is your last warning if you know what is good for you! You better leave now, or that trashcan over there will be your bed," the big man threatened, pointing at the big trashcan across the alley. Alexander did not look behind and sighed. Yep, talking is pointless, so he did not bother the two as he walked inside, brushing the two stunned guards. "Is this kid a mentally ill patient?" The man flared seeing Alexander''s look that does not give a fuck about them. "You did this to yourself," the man bellowed loudly as he also stepped in the doors, extending his hands to pull Alexander in the back of his collar. Alexander did not turn around; he just caught it with his right hand. This surprised the man for a moment since he did not see the kid''s hand move at all. When he tried to take it back, he could not; it felt like it was nailed to a metal wall. He exerted too much force, but it wouldn''t budge. The veins on his forehead began to form. "Is this kid a monster?" as he continued to pull it back. Alexander then released the man''s hand as he stumbled and rolled from the floor, hitting the wall beside the entrance door. thud The impact caused a low thud, and the big man growled, caressing the back of his head. Alexander did not look back as he looked at the empty hallway. "Hey, are you okay?" the other man asked, squatting down and checking on the man who had stumbled back. "Do I look like I''m fine?" he cursed inwardly, as he stood up angrily. "Kid, you just angered me even more. Let''s teach this kid a lesson," the big man said, and the other man nodded since the reputation of the ''Black Serpent Gang'' was in line here. Alexander, feeling lost, decided to just get the answer from the back since he did not know where the boss of this place was. Looking back, he saw their enraged look, and with that, the two men in black suits rushed towards him, their fists aiming at him. He just caught both arms, leaving the two men stunned and terrified. They felt that their hands were being crushed when the kid in front of them squeezed them. "Call your boss!" Alexander instructed them with a glare. "Shut the F*ck up, kid," the man sneered, but what received him was just a sidekick in his cheeks, making him fly, hitting the wall with a loud thud. The loud crash alerted the rest of the gangs, and the people who were here to enjoy themselves also got out of the room to see what caused the loud commotion. Alexander, who was surrounded and watched by many people, could not help but think that he was stupid. "Thanks to this, I should at least hide my face before taking action. It''s just going to be luck if the police do not chase me for the troubles I''m going to make," he cursed as they surrounded him. He let go of the man''s hand as it nkeeled on the ground clutching it with a pale face, he felt like he was dying as he looked at it shaking. "Call your boss," he asked again. Since he was already here, it was too late to go back and wear a mask. No one spoke when suddenly one of the men stepped up and said, with a hint of fear, "Our boss is not here," he said respectfully. The other members looked at him like a fool. Why was he so respectful to the kid just now? Seeing their looks aimed at him, he could only sigh. He then told them that the person they were dealing with right now was the kid who caused trouble a few days ago. The man who said this was the man who was commanded to beat the Kid. But after seeing his prowess, like sending a man with one slap, he swore in his heart that if he ever saw him again, he would never offend him. "Not here?" Alexander frowned as he looked at him. The man remembered him, but he didn''t. He had met a lot of faces, and how could he remember this guy? "Then where is your boss?" Alexander asked. The man was about to respond that their boss was not present, but a man next to him whispered urgently, and his eyes trembled for a moment. The two of them whispered very close to each other''s ears, not knowing that Alexander could hear them clearly. The man beside the guy whispered, "Why don''t we take him to the boss base? This kid was causing a lot of trouble, right? So I think that by bringing him there with a lot of brothers accompanied by the other captains, we can finally beat the shit out of him," he suggested. Hearing his suggestion, he was a bit hesitant since he felt something was going to go wrong in his heart. But in the end, he decided to agree. The fear in his heart was enveloped by vengeance, and he looked at Alexander who was calm as the lake. Alexander just looked at the clown in front of him since they were going to help him take them to their base. Then doesn''t? that means he can meet the boss of this gang who loves to cause trouble in his neighborhood, especially for him. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So this time, he''s going to teach every one of them a lesson. "Young master," the man coughed, addressing him respectfully with a broken smile. Clearly, he was not delighted when he said that word. "I know where the boss is, and he is not here. Why don''t we and my brother take you there in our car?" he suggested, clasping his arms, acting humbly. Alexander could not help but smirk, but remembering that her boss''s life was on the line, he raised his voice a little and ordered. "Sure, take me there quickly; I''m in a hurry," Alexander instructed the man, who nodded with a strained smile. "Kid Just you wait, when we arrive their I will f*cking smash a broken pipe in your freaking head, then you''ll see why the ''Black Serpent Gang'' is not a hangout place where you can just have fun" The man cursed as three big man went out first to take a car. The man then guided Alexander to another door that led to the parking area, where a black car was waiting. A man opened the door for him. As Alexander got in, four large men in black suits entered the car as well. The bystanders watching the scene looked at Alexander in awe, not only because he was handsome but also because they misinterpreted him as the son of a mafia family or a young master. Yuno, who was in the sky, wondered if his young master had joined a bad organization. However, seeing him beat up the people and noticing the urgency in his voice made Yuno feel that something was amiss. With his presence completely hidden, he followed the car like a gust of wind. Chapter 106 - 106 Looking for Info 2 In an underground room, there are a lot of men accompanied by a bunch of women, enjoying and rejoicing as these women wear alluring dresses that expose their parts and curves. They serve these man by pouring wines and sitting beside them as their hands wander around their body. Suddenly, one of the men''s phones rang. He had tattoos on the left side of his face. The weird symbols added a cool effect if people looked at him. He was not only bulky, but also tall, and the cup in his hands looked like a small toy. He resembled a gorilla due to his size and figure. When his phone rang, his hands were wandering inside the woman''s clothes, who was biting her lips, enjoying his caress, especially on her chest. When she felt the big hand stop, she glanced at him only to see him taking a call, so she stared at him quietly waiting for him to be done. Answering the call, the big man then narrowed his eyes, a little angry, of course, since he was enjoying himself. "Your call should be important, or I''m going to break your leg for this," he threatened; the man on the other side of the phone shivered in fear. This man is wearing a suit, and he was currently in the bar, where Alexander had just arrived and took some members of the gang to accompany him to their base. The man clearly calls him to deliver this news to prepare them. "Um, Captain Hugo, do you remember the kid the Boss told us to avoid for some time? " He begins to state the purpose of his call. Hugo, hearing this, narrowed his gaze as he leaned back from the couch and took out a cigarette. The woman, seeing this, took a lighter and lit it up in his hands. After that, he put it in his mouth to smoke, and as he breathed out, a large amount of smoke wafted in the air. "What about it?" he responded in an uncaring manner. On the other end of the phone, the man was a bit afraid to say this, but he eventually got up to speak up. "Well, that kid came here, and not only did he cause some trouble, he broke the bones of two of our people, and now they are already in the hospital for recovery." "Ohh, then what did the rest of you do?" he asked, narrowing his gaze as he stopped smoking. "Ahh, we let him go, and Magnus was leading him towards the base since he was looking for the boss," he answered. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hugu could not help but get angry as his tone became deadlier. The people across the table, seeing his look, stopped enjoying themselves and took their seats seriously as well. "bullsh*t, and all of you even consider yourself as one of the elite members of the ''Black Serpent Gang.'' How dare all of you let him leave and take him here without even beating him up? All of you are useless," He roared in the phone, his anger was livid on his face. Hearing the loud shout, the man on the other end of the phone was sweating like bullets as his legs were shaking, and his pals who were beside him were also scared. The man was a bit shaky as he responded to the phone, "Um... ba-but captain, we can''t do anything. The-the kid is really strong," Hearing this, some black lines appeared on Hugo''s forehead, "Excuses, getting beat up by a kid in one of our turfs is a great shame. You useless scums since he was coming here then I deal with him, after I''m done with him I''ll deal with all of you later," he muttered in an icy tone as the call ended. When they heard that one of the captains was going to deal with Alexander, they felt very happy since they had great respect for Captain Hugo. However, when they heard the end of his words, all of their faces turned pale. They fear this captain more than the other three because Hugo, also known as the Iron Gorilla, is a dangerous man. Because of his massive muscular build, broad shoulders, and thick arms, he resembles a gorilla. His sheer physical presence is enough to intimidate anyone who crosses his path. His power was greatly engraved in their minds since this man fought with raw, overwhelming strength like a gorilla. His punches feel like they could crush bones, and his grappling skills can make his opponent nearly impossible to escape in a fight. One of his signature moves is grabbing his opponent and slamming them into the ground, turning them into a broken piece of wood. They could even remember the person who their captain did this, with just one slam the guy turns into a puddle of blood. Hugo, their captain, was known for his wild, primal behavior during battle and outside of battle. He had a gruff, no-nonsense demeanor, cold and very strict, giving off the vibe of a beast. Also, when he says something, he does not break his words, so when they hear that he is going to deal with them, their scalps go numb. They also heard the story that Hugo the ''Iron Gorilla'' once took down a small gang''s hideout single-handedly; some of those people died with broken bones from his rampage. This led the police to place a bounty on his head, but he was never found. Seizing this opportunity, the boss recruited him, making him one of the four captains of the Black Serpent Gang. Alexander, who was in the black car, just sat close to the door, the window open, as he looked around the building calmly. The man in the car looked at his calm demeanor, which made them enraged. It seemed like he was going on vacation rather than going to the enemy''s base to cause trouble. Magnus, who proposed this idea to Alexander, was filled with bloodlust. "Kid, you better enjoy your last moment," he muttered inwardly. Alexander glanced at him momentarily as he continued looking at the place. He could feel his killing intent, even though it was just a bit due to his battle instinct, but compared to the opponent he faced. The killing intent was like a needle in front of a large sword. So he was not even worried about what is this man going to do. Suddenly, the car took a turn and went into an alley with only 1 road. There were no more people, so they continued on their way. As they arrived at a big building. As he looked at the window from the outside, he noticed that it resembled a square-shaped motel with numerous rooms. The car then drove through the gate, where he saw two men standing guard at the entrance. When he went inside, arriving at the center of the square motel-style building, he could see that on each floor, there were members of black serpent gangs, but this did not make him uneasy. Parking the car, Alexander knew that it was time. Magnus then looked at him with a cold smile. "Young master, we have arrived. Why don''t we take you to the boss," he said Alexander. He just smiled and wanted to see what are they going to do with him. As Alexander stepped out of the car, his eyes calmly wandered around the place as he scanned the surroundings. The motel style building was square-shape with multiple floors connected by a continuous walkway that ran in front of each room. The metal railings lining the walkways looked word and rusted, Above him the members of the Black Serpent Gang leaned against this railing, their eyes were locked on him. Some of them were smoking, he can even see that they had nkives what caught his eyes is that saw that they were carrying pistols dangling loosely in their hands while some was place inside their pants. He could hear some of them laughing as they murmured, having the conversation of their lives. These conversations echoed throughout the place. But what they were talking about was just a bunch of nonsense, so he did not take the time to listen to it. When they saw Alexander, those who were talking and having fun stopped and stared at the kid like they had found prey. Since Alexander appeared so frail, he looked weak enough that a single hit could break him. Glancing back a little, Magnus could see that the kid was not even frightened, which made him frown as if there was something wrong with this kid. When they arrived at the double door, two men in dark shades were there. They carried a rifle, and Alexander could tell it was not fake. In the Philippines, it is not uncommon for gangs and influential groups to carry guns. While firearms are regulated, individuals can legally carry them if they have the necessary permits. However, those caught carrying firearms without a valid permit can face arrest and legal consequences, that is, if they get caught. Because of this loophole often allows certain groups to exploit the system and maintain their firepower. When they arrived at the two people, Magnus walked towards them, while the three men who had been with Alexander as he got out of the car followed behind him. After some talking and whispering to each other, Magnus pointed at Alexander. Magnus did not look back, as he just raised his hand above his shoulders as the man with the rifle glanced at him; their faces were covered with frowns and anger. When he was done telling the story, Magnus moved aside as the two men casually pointed the rifle at him. "Young master you''ve better lay low for now, these rifles in front of you had no eyes. We don''t want the blood to be spilled on the floor if some accident happens, right?" Magnus sneered on the side, saying these words. He could not help but curse Alexander''s stupidity for coming with him back to their headquarters. The three men behind him looked at him with disdain as the rest of the men who were hovering above him looked at Alexander like an idiot. They just stood their wanting to see how this kid would react, they all though he was a special guest but seeing that he was pointed with a gun all of them know that its actually an enemy. Chapter 107 - 107 Looking for Info 3 "This kid is really courageous; he was not even frightened after being pointed at a gun at his head." One of the men praised as he rested his hands on the railway looking below. "You''re right. That kid deserves an award for that." The man beside him responded, and suddenly his expression turns cold like a serial killer. "And that reward is torture, Hehe." He chuckled at the end. Alexander glanced at the gun pointed at him. Then, shifting his gaze, he looked at Magnus, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Yeah, too bad that this rifles had no eyes. Why don''t you shoot, if it can hit me?" Alexander muttered calmly, making the two men who were pointing at him freeze. "I think this kid is really mentally ill," The man bellowed, looking at him like an idiot. The other guy just looked at Alexander, a wide sneer present on his face. "Kid, do you really want to see the coffin? To make you take this matter seriously?" the man said with red eyes. Alexander just tilted his head a little, "All of you are not enough to make me serious," Hearing his arrogant words, Magnus could not take it anymore. He was literally holding himself from beating this kid because he was strong. Now that they are at their base, who was he to be scared? pulling the pistol on the man who was pointing at Alexander furiously. The man frowned since that gun was his, but he just snorted waiting for Magnus to punish the arrogant kid. "You are so arrogant for a little kid with weak little arms, and weak little legs." Magnus roared angrily as he loaded the gun, ready to shoot at any moment. The muzzle of the gun was just 7 inches away from Alexander''s face; if it was triggered, he would likely die from it. But that only applies to a normal person. "Weak?" Alexander, hearing this, smiled slyly, "Who was so afraid that he even had to be so respectful in front of me a few minutes ago?" he said with a scornful look. This fueled Magnus''s anger even more. "You asked for it." With that, he pulled the trigger, and the pistol exploded. A bullet began to fly out, aiming at him. Alexander saw this as he watched the bullet flying towards him. It was so slow, so slow, that he was like a flash at this moment. Extending his hand, Alexander caught the bullet with his right hand. Magnus, who was smiling widely, was frozen in place. The two men holding the rifle were also looking at this scene in disbelief, while the three men behind Alexander were sweating like crazy. Hearing the loud gun shout, the other members of the black serpent gang above the floor, watching this scene, cannot see clearly. They were a little bit confused since the kid had not fallen yet after getting pointed at and shot in close parameters. "That-that''s Impossi.." He did not finish his words when a heavy kick hit his abdomen. His face contorted into an ugly expression. It was so heavy that he felt like his waist was broken. The food he had eaten this afternoon felt like it was about to thrown up even though he had digested it. The kick he sent out was just a normal kick, but its power was so devastating since Magnus destroyed the door, which was tightly closed, when he dropped to the floor. He did not stop as he continued to skid down the corridor, stopping at the end of the wall. The two men with the rifle, who are momentarily stunned, are brought back, filled with fear. One of the men shouted, "Fire, kill, kill this monster." he said, filled with a look of fear. Then, the two rifles began to shoot rapidly; bullets were flinging toward Alexander in a frenzy. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The gang members above leaned over the railers, trying to get a better look at the commotion below. They did not see Alexander suddenly kick one of them for the shout; they only heard a muffling sound. Alexander didn''t even flinch; with an almost bored expression, he shifted slightly, dodging the bullet with minimal effort. His movements were precise, filled with fluidity, and almost too fast to follow his moving figure. To the men firing, it was if he were just a blur of images, dissapering and reappering between their shots. The three men who were behind Alexander were the ones who got hit as the rain of bullets got buried inside them. The three of them were pushed back as the other gang members above the railings finally knew what was happening. Suddenly, one of the riflemen''s magazines clicked empty. Panic began to spread across his face as he scrambled to reload it. Filled with fear, he dropped the magazine, but Alexander didn''t give him the chance. In an instant, Alexander closed the distance, appearing in front of him like a ghost. Before the man could react, Alexander''s fist drove into his chest with a thunderous impact. The force sent him flying backward, slamming into the railing on the second floor with a loud clang. The railing bent under the force, and the man''s body slumped lifelessly onto the walkway, it was unknown whether he was dead or alive. But he is alive since Alexander did not receive any notifications. He controlled his strength a little because he couldn''t be a rouge in his own world because this place had its own set of rules. If he just killed people if he wanted to, then he would be sentenced to life in prison because of that reason. "Mommy..." The second riflesman, was trembling uncontrollably, he had already reloaded his gun aiming towards Alexander. His hands were shaking so much that he could barely aim, "Stay back!" he shouted, his voice cracking. Alexander simply smirked, darting forward before the man could pull the trigger. He grabbed the barrel of the rifle and bent it effortlessly with his bare hand, rendering the weapon useless. The man, seeing his gun turned into scraps, widened in sheer horror, but before he could scream like a girl in distress. Alexander sent him flying with a backhanded slap so powerful it knocked him out cold. The man''s body skidded across the floor, stopping only when it hit the wall. He was knocked out just besides Magnus who''s life and death is still unknown, by now the members of the Black Serpent Gang above had fully grasped the situation. It just took a matter of seconds before they could even assist them, their contempt towards his stupidity earlier were feeling incredulous. One of them shouted, "Our brother was killed by this kid! Get him!" Dozens of gang members surged down the stairs and balconies, some of them were wielding bats, knives and even more guns. The space was filled with chaos, and Alexander was surrounded from all sides. Seeing this scene, Alexander cracked his knuckles. "Looking for Info is really hard; a fight is really inevitable," he muttered. The first group to reach him swung their bats wildly, but Alexander did not dodge. Gripping one man by the ankle, he effortlessly lifted him up to the air. With a swift motion, he hurled the man into two others, sending them crashing into the open space. Another gang member lunged at him with a knife, aiming for his chest. Alexander caught the blade mid-swing between his fingers and snapped it like a twig. Before the attacker could react, Alexander drove his elbow into the man''s jaw, sending him spinning to the ground. Not giving him a chance to breathe, bullets began to rain again, Alexander weaved through the chaos, dodging everyshot with inhuman precision. At one point, he grabbed a nearby gang member by the collar and used him as a shield. Even though the bullets cannot hurt him, what about his clothes? The bullets embedded harmlessly into the man''s back. With a single push, Alexander sent the human shield flying into a group of attackers, knocking them all over like bowling pins. The gang members on the upper levels began to realize the futility of their weapons. One of them shouted, "Get the heavy artillery! Bring the RPG hurry!". "RPG? But what about our headquarters?" The man asked, only to receive a slap in his face. "Are you stupid? What is the purpose of an RPG if it cannot save us at this moment?" he said, pulling him by the collar. The man was very angry after getting slapped and pulled by him in the collar. He was just a member, the same as him, and he dared to do this to him. With that he punched the man in the face, and the hit was so clean that the man fell to the floor. Seeing that he was hit, he became even more angry since he was already angry in the first place. But before they continued their shenanigans, Alexander leaped up, landing on the second-floor walkway with enough force to rattle the entire structure. With a sweeping kick, he sent these two men tumbling over the rail. Alexander dashed forward, sweeping his way. Their screams echoed as they fell into the courtyard below. Another tried to tackle him from behind, but Alexander grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the wall, leaving a dent in the concrete. "This is the work of a devil. This kid is a demon!" they all thought, looking at Alexander, filled with fear. Their morales were crumbled into pieces, their numbers dwindled rapidly, and those who could stand began backing away. Alexander, however, showed no signs of fatigue. His strikes were as devastating as ever, each one landing with great precision. The remaining gang members dropped their weapons and fled one by one, their courage now broken to pieces. Alexander just stood at the center of the carnage, his clothes unruffled, and his expression was calm. Around him lay the unconscious and groaning bodies of the Black Serpent Gang. Above, the few gang members still conscious watched from the railings, too terrified to move. They knew they had messed with the wrong person this time. Alexander glanced up at them, his piercing gaze sending a chill down their spines. Without a word, they scattered, vanishing into the motel''s rooms. The last one who was too slow, when he turned around, Alexander was already in front of him, his gaze as cold as ice. Chapter 108 - 108 Are you serious? Seeing the devil in front of him, he was so scared that he felt like his soul was about to fly inside him. Even though it was night, those piercing eyes seemed to have a glint of light. His gaze emanated something that he did not know how to explain. Even though Alexander''s gaze was calm and devoid of anything, the man could greatly feel his heartbreaking aura. "Take me to your boss," Alexander said calmly, looking down at the man. The man was shaking as he lay on the ground, not daring to stand up. Alexander, seeing this, was a bit frustrated since he was in a hurry. "Didn''t you hear me? Or do you want me to beat you up first before you tell me," he threatened with a cold gaze. The man hearing this shook even more as he nodded his head frantically. "Yes, yes, but the boss is not here, and I don''t know where he was," he answered. Alexander, hearing this, frowned since his visit seemed to be wasted. He greatly heard their conversation back at the bar, so he really thought that the boss of this place was here. "Do you have his number?" he asked. The frown on his face was still there. The man hurriedly shook his head, afraid that this demon would slap him to death if he was too slow to answer. "Then why did you say yes in the first place?" Alexander said angrily, his eyes turning red like they were about to kill. The man''s face turned even more distressed as he quickly explained, "I don''t know where the boss is or have his number, but one of our captains does. I can take you to him so he can provide you with that information." Alexander, hearing this, calmed down, "Hurry up and take me there," he commanded. The man then stood up at the speed of light and began to assist Alexander as they got inside the entrance of the broken two-way door. The spacious hallway was filled with their footstep. After taking some turns and turns, Alexander saw that there was actually an underground stairs. Seeing the man stop, Alexander kicked him in the butt, making the man groan in pain. "Hurry up," Alexander soundly reminded. The man hastily went down the stairs while caressing his swollen butt; he was not angry since who was he to get angry when his life was on the line? While walking down the stairs, Alexander noticed a metal double door just a few meters away. The hallway was cemented, both on the ground, on the walls, and even on the ceiling, with lights attached to serve as the vision for the place. There were no fancy designs, and there were no other doors, just this double metal door. The man stopped for a moment, so Alexander stopped as well, looking at the man, whose mouth was moving, wanting to speak. Feeling irritated, he could not help but reprimand him, "Speak!". Hearing the devil''s voice, the man turned around with a humble look, but his face was sweating. "Umm, young master. Before going inside... It''s better for you to prepare other than Captain Hugo. He also had three subordinates that are also strong. So-so you have to be prepared before going inside," he explained. He was afraid that this little demon, no, to be more precise, this big demon, misunderstood that he wanted to trap him and kill him. The man knows how powerful Captain Hugo is, but can he dodge a bullet? Can he jump 10 feet on the ground? No, he cannot do that. So it''s better to let this demon know that he had not planned anything to save his life. Alexander, hearing this, was not bothered at all. "So, to be clear, he''s just inside that door?" Alexander asked, pointing at the closed door. "Yes, yes, young master. Captain Hugo is just inside. " The man nodded his head. It was so fast that it left after images. Alexander could not help but feel a little dumbfounded. Glancing back at the man with a broken smile hanging on his face, he inquired. "Can''t they hear the commotion outside? It''s not far away from the entrance, and this underground place is not even this deep." The man who was prepared to share the secrets about their headquarters that he had accumulated for years, like drugs, embezzlement, robbery, forcing girls, and even killing, was a bit stunned. This is not the script that he wanted to happen, but since he asked, he answered, sharing what he knew. "Actually, the reason for this is that the room inside is primarily used for meetings, as well as a space where the captain and the boss can relax and enjoy themselves without interruptions. The boss made the walls soundproofed to ensure their privacy and prevent any disturbances. This way, no noise from the room escapes to the outside, and anything happening outside can''t be heard inside either," he explained. Alexander was speechless at this; he couldn''t help but scoff at this ridiculous idea. "Do they seriously believe no one would dare invade their territory? They''re busy having fun inside while chaos is brewing outside¡ªhow arrogant can they be?" Looking at the man deeply, he decided to let him go since he was very much cooperative. "Alright then, that''s all you can away roll now," Alexander said, waving his hand. Being pardoned, the man was happy, feeling delighted he could not help but flip like this ????. He only began to walk normally when he arrived at the stairs. Alexander, seeing his actions, was at a loss for words. "Dang, this surprises me more than fighting that Ravenwing," he muttered, feeling completely lost about what to do about this. But focusing on his goals, he walked towards the door. Inside, Hugo and the three guys across from him were still drinking, their faces red. But you can see that they are really not that drunk, Hugo was sitting in the couch with two women from left to right. His face twisted in annoyance as he barked, "Is the kid not here yet? Go and check, Little Po." Hugo, the big man, instructed another big man nearby. But let''s be honest here, the only thing big about Little Po was his stomach, which looked like it was winning an all-you-can-eat buffet competition against the rest of his body. "Sure thing, big brother," Little Po replied with a grin, setting down his glass of beer like a man preparing for a heroic mission. Unfortunately for him, this mission would go horribly, when I say horribly. It''s horribly wrong! Little Po waddled toward the door with the confidence of a man who had clearly never been to a gym. As he reached for the handle, the door suddenly exploded inward with a thunderous BANG! The force of the kick was so powerful, it was like a small freight train had decided to make a surprise visit. Poor Little Po never stood a chance. The door hit him square in the face, sending him flying backward as if he''d been kicked by a professional soccer player. He tumbled through the air like a human bowling ball, crashing into the table with a WHAM, sending glasses and bottles flying in every direction. The two women in the room screamed in unison, clutching each other like they''d just seen something new. Little Po, on the other hand, was in no condition to scream. Blood poured from his nose like a waterfall, and his mouth looked like a crime scene with a couple of teeth scattered on the floor. To top it off, his eyes were rolling in different directions like they were debating whether to stay conscious or not. But the chaos wasn''t done yet. Little Po''s momentum carried him past the table, where he continued rolling like a lopsided watermelon, eventually skidding to a stop right at Hugo''s feet. The room fell silent except for the sound of Little Po wheezing like an overworked vacuum cleaner. *Heavy Breathing Hugo looked down at him with a mixture of shock and disgust. His appearance was a mess; his face was red, not from alcohol, but from cholesterol. Actually, I''m just joking with you. The straight-line red print on his face was caused by the metal door''s edge hitting it. The nose was crooked and flat, and the center teeth were destroyed like scraps. You can even see that some were dented slightly because of the impact. The two guys were already standing up, and looking at little Po''s appearance made them feel their bones shiver. Glancing at the source of this, standing at the door, Alexander was stunned. He just decided to kick the door to make an explosive entrance like in the movies. Now, he felt even more sorry for the fat guy, whose plan was just to walk out from the door. Hugo, inspecting him, was a bit dumbfounded since it was actually a kid who caused this. This made his face blackened like charcoal, "Don''t you how to knock you freaking idiot, tell me which asshole recruited you?" he shouted slapping the table but what he slapped is the air since the table was already broken. So he just slapped his thigh to make the sound, waiting for the kid who dared to barge into the place that was not allowed to go to. Alexander, hearing his questioning tone, was brought back alive. "No one, I''m here to look for your boss," he stated, stating his purpose since he was in a hurry. Hugo and the two men hearing this finally know his identity. This must be the kid who caused a lot of trouble for their boss and the gang. "So it''s actually you. You have become so rampant that you are causing a lot of damage for our Black Serpent Gang. Being young and arrogant is normal, but you need to control it. Big Kai and Short Shen, deal this kid for me," Hugo remarked, wanting to see if the rumors were true. Big Kai was tall and thin, with an average build. To Alexander, he resembled a walking skeleton, and it was primarily his height that made him intimidating. Short Shen, on the other hand, is a man who fully describes his description. He''s a short guy, about 5 feet, but his muscles are jacked, not gonna lie. The two of them burst into speed with great speed; even though Short Shen was short with small little legs, his speed cannot be underestimated. Big Kai, however, wasn''t as lucky. As he rushed forward, his towering height betrayed him. He slammed headfirst into the uneven ceiling, which had an awkward mix of low and high sections that looked like they''d been designed by someone who hated tall people. The impact sent Big Kai flying backward, landing squarely on his butt with a loud THUD. His eyes rolled back as he let out a groan before passing out, sprawling out on the floor like a defeated giant. Hugo, watching this disaster unfold, slapped his forehead and let out an exasperated sigh. "Damn it, I knew I should''ve fixed that ceiling," he muttered. Glancing at the still-dazed Big Kai, he added, "Guess it''s all up to Short Shen now." Meanwhile, Short Shen, unbothered by his partner''s epic failure, kept charging forward, his determination making up for his lack of height. Alexander was utterly dumbfounded by this. "Are you serious?" he muttered when he saw that the short man had arrived in front of him. Raising his legs, he just weeps it sideways, hitting the man in his right wrist; the impact is strong, causing him to fly and hit the wall on the side with a loud thud. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He felt that his shoulder, which was used to shield the impact from the cemented wall, was broken, making him pass out from pain as well. Seeing this scene, Hugo was very angry as he stood up. The two women also got up and hid behind the couch, their heads popping out. Cracking his neck, Hugo''s eyes were bloodshot. "You have made a grave mistake for this kid, now be prepared!" he bellowed as he pounced at Alexander with great momentum. Chapter 109 - 109 The call [Note: 2-3 Chapters will be updated daily starting tomorrow] Suddenly, you can hear a groan, and this sound was not made by Alexander but by the big ma,n Hugo. The two women seeing this were appalled. They were really scared as they looked at the scene before them. The strong man Hugo in their memories was utterly ruined as they looked at this scene. Hugo can be seen in a cow-like position with both hands and feet on the ground. On top of him is Alexander sitting at his back domineeringly; his face was beaten to a pulp, and you can see his cheeks were purple and disfigured. Even though he had some loose teeth in his mouth, and he was sweating like bullets, he was greatly devoted in this position, not moving even a bit. He was scared greatly scared. ... Earlier, he rushed towards Alexander, filled with momentum. He even roared to increase his power as he arrived in front of Alexander. He delivered a heavy right punch so powerful that breaking a chair was possible. But Alexander just slightly placed his right foot one step in the back while leaning sideways to dodge the attack. Seeing this scene, Hugo is filled with momentum when he throws that punch off the side. Staring above, seeing Alexander''s calm gaze, he shifted his body to the side and delivered a sideways uppercut. But Alexander did the same thing, taking one step, leaning to the side, and dodging the attack. This time, when he dodged it, Hugo, whose face was so close to the ground, shifted his body to face Alexander, carrying momentum for his right strike. Alexander, this time, leaned his head back to dodge. The fist was very close to hitting his face. Hugo did the same, shifting his body to deliver a blow again. Alexander kept dodging and dodging, but he could see that the speed of Hugo''s punch seemed to have increased in speed. "Dempsey Roll!" Hugo shouted, delivering a flurry of blows from right and left. This is one of his killer moves. It originated from an Anime, ''Ippo.'' Ippo is his favorite character, and he practices this skill beyond mastery. Every person where he used this move was sometimes dead, and even with just three blows, they were already knocked out, making him feared by all. But this time, his signature move was useless. The kid in front of him was so fast that he was dodging his attack effortlessly. This fueled his anger even more as his blow became more deadly and powerful. His breathing became heavy, and with a loud roar, he kept up his pace faster than before. Hugo''s eyes were red from anger. Alexander just took one step every time. But Hugo did not stop his movement; he also went forward to close in the gap with each other, throwing strikes. They were doing this action repeatedly, as they just circled the place. Hugo''s started to feel tired but he did not stop; he decided to exert more power on his bones. If he slowed down now, his chances of landing a hit would greatly diminish. Also, if he stopped and was dead tired, this kid would use this chance to knock him out. "Okay, that is enough," Alexander bellowed. Hugo did not hear this as he threw a right strike, closing in on Alexander''s right cheek. But he did not give him that chance. From the Anime, the weakness of ''Dempsey Roll'' is taking a step back in order to see clearly and land a hit. For Alexander, he just delivered a strike with his right hand that was as fast as lightning. The air whistled and it was a clean hit, it hit Hugo''s face as his fist caving in. A blood crunching sound illuminated the place, the blow finally stopped his momentum. As Alexander forcefully hit him, the blow was so strong that he flew all the way to the couch to stop his progress. The cushion saved his back as he groaned in pain, extending his shaking hands he touched his aching face filled. His nose was crooked, and a spot had already turned purple. The most visible thing is one of his teeth in the center, rotated sideways from the impact. "Ahhh, that hurts! Shitt, it hurtsss!" Hugo exclaimed, clutching his face, when his eyes caught Alexander again. Filled with rage when he was beaten up, he rushed again to avenge himself. His face was disfigured, he needs to avenge it he needs to avenge him self. Alexander saw the big guy rushing again and sneered, "You don''t learn, do you?" he said in a low voice. Hugo did not reply, but his fist was the one who responded to Alexander''s words. But Alexander just looked at him calmly, raising his hand. He slapped him in the face, making him stagger to the floor. Not giving up, he rushed again, but Alexander slapped him from right to left every time he rushed forward. The sound of flesh being slapped can be heard loudly. Every Pah sound was accompanied by a scream. It''s just a melody if you add some humor to it. The blood was everywhere, and the two women who were watching this scene felt like passing out. Even though they are somewhat used to it, this scene makes them want to vomit since it''s totally different from what they usually see. "You-" Hugo did not finish his words as a slap replied to him. He staggered to the ground, looking at Alexander with a face that looked like it was stung by hundreds of bees. "Just you-" he was silent again as he sprawled to the ground from the strong slap. "Let me spe-" he was slapped again, as he rolled all the way to the wall in the right corner. His gaze was starting to see some stars, and Alexander just looked at this, not feeling guilty about it. This guy must have done a lot of bad things, so why would he feel sad? Walking towards the big man Hugo, who was filled with vigor a moment ago, was now turned into a pile of rubbish. He just lay there with his upper body slightly raised with the help of his left shoulder. He was about to stand up, but Alexander just squatted down, looking at him with a cold gaze. The arrogance slowly diminished in Hugo''s eyes. "Kid... just yo-" he did not finish his words as another slap came. Hugo''s nostril flared. When he was about to open his mouth, Alexander slapped him again. Whenever his lips moved, he was slapped. Hugo''s image was totally destroyed this time. "If you speak again, I''ll kill you!" Alexander said coldly, his killing intent this time was displayed. Even though it was just a little bit, Hugo felt like his soul was screaming to make a run right now. Every hair in his body stood up like it was electrocuted. His face showed that he would never yield and was utterly destroyed; this kid in front of him had killed someone. He will kill him, he knows that. His hands were filled with the dead bodies of every person he had killed, so he had developed his killing intent. And he can feel this from the kid in front of him. But his killing intent was just a fart in front of a perfume, this time he lowered his head not daring to speak. Alexander, seeing this, nodded in appreciation. "That''s good," he praised as he stood up and stood in the center. He then stretched as he muttered in a low voice, but he made sure his voice could be heard. "My back hurts; I need a seat." Hugo, who''s back and leaning in the right corner. His brows twitch, knowing his intention, so he stands, not caring about his injuries. He walks toward the chair, but Alexander''s voice comes in. "I don''t like that chair; I want you to be my chair for a moment," Alexander remarked. Hugo''s face turned sour and black, but he did not argue. He crawled on the ground and positioned himself on Alexander''s butt. He then sat with his other foot placed on his other thigh, looking so cool, while Hugo just groaned since his body was already injured. Alexander was not that heavy for him, but he was not in a good state. Alexander, who was sitting, decided to get to the point. So that''s about it for the flashback. ... "Where''s your boss? I heard one of your people said you had his number." Alexander asked. Hugo, whose face was facing the floor, was filled with anger. "Who dares to set me up," he growled, wanting to know that person, and strangled him to death to quell his anger. "Yes, yes. I have the boss''s number right now. I''ll call him for you," he said in haste, but Alexander did not jump down, so he had to use his right hand to hold his body up as his left hand reached for his pockets. Turning on the phone, he directed his bloodstain finger on the contact list. Finding his boss''s contact list, he quickly called. The phone began to ring, and he hung up, making his face turn scared. Suddenly, he felt his back turn cold. "If the call is not going to be answered in one minute, I''ll make sure you don''t have the chance to make the call," Alexander said calmly. Hugo could not help but cry but had no tears to spare. After a few tries, finally, his boss answered the phone, making him cry in tears. Then Jonathan''s irritating voice can be heard, "Can''t you see that we are busy here? Why do you keep calling?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he did not mind it since he felt like he heard the voice of his last savior, "Boss, our headquarters was destroyed. He... he disabled each of our men," he stated with a cry, and his tears slid down the screen. "Who was the one causing trouble? Is it from the other gangs?" Jonathan''s voice on the other end can be heard. "Um, boss, it''s not a gang, but it''s only one person, and it''s a kid," he responded to the phone. Chapter 110 - 110 The Call 2 "One person¡ªand a kid at that?" Jonathan was first stunned and then became angry, as if a huge slap had landed on his face. If people were to know about this, the Black Serpent Gang''s prestige would be destroyed. Jonathan''s eyes blazed with anger. "Who did it?" he shouted, his grip on the phone tightening. Hearing the loud shout, Master Ronaldo grew curious to know who this little troublemaker was to have the power to annihilate a gang''s headquarters. A person like that was not going to be ordinary. "Another martial artist, I see," Ronaldo thought, feeling amused by the news. But he just stood there leisurely, as this was not his problem. On the other side of the phone, Hugo glanced at Alexander, but Alexander gave him a look, indicating that he should proceed. Receiving the order, Hugo hurriedly said, "Uh, boss, it''s the kid you wanted to deal with later, after you''re done. He was looking for you to get some info." "A kid, looking for me to get some info?" Jonathan muttered in a low voice, trying to identify the culprit. Suddenly, Alexander took the phone from Hugo''s hand. Hugo did not struggle, instead placing his two hands on the floor to make it easier for him to pretend to be a chair. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you the boss?" Alexander asked directly, getting straight to the point as time was running out. Hearing the voice of someone unfamiliar, Jonathan was still in a dilemma about who this person could be. But Ethan, who was standing nearby, recognized the voice immediately. "Boss, this kid must be Alexander¡ªthe one who beat up your son and caused trouble at the bar yesterday," Ethan said to him. Hearing this, a hint of realization hit Jonathan, and his face turned frosty, as though he wanted to kill someone. He had planned to deal with this kid after he was done, but the boy had actually appeared and caused a great ruckus. Jonathan was filled with rage at this moment, but it did not completely envelop his mind with wrath. He was very suspicious about whether this kid was truly normal. His headquarters were filled with armed people, and even Hugo, one of his four captains, was the strongest when it came to hand-to-hand combat. Yet, he had actually lost to a kid whom he considered insignificant, and that boy was now on his list of people to get rid of. Now that he had already accomplished his goal of defeating Benjamin and capturing them, he decided that it''s time to take action against this troublemaker. "What do you want, kid?" Jonathan bellowed, his voice deadly with a hint of frost. Alexander could clearly hear their conversation and the cold voice of the gang''s boss, but he did not care. "I''m here for you to help me find some info. Where can I find you?" Alexander asked, his eyes wandering around the room. "Info? What kind of information are you trying to find?" Jonathan asked, his eyes narrowing. He could not help but feel inwardly angry, as this kid was treating him like a mere source of information and someone to be used and discarded after causing such a ruckus. "Just you wait, kid! I will skin you alive!" Jonathan threatened inwardly. He did not say it out loud, afraid that the kid might kill all his men, dealing him a huge blow. Even though he might win this battle, he was deeply afraid of suffering an even greater loss in return. If their foundation was ruined, the other gang, like the ''Steel Roses,'' led by a woman named Scarlet, would take the opportunity to attack them. So, he decided to listen to what the kid needed first and then come up with a plan to dispose of him. With this in mind, he could not help but smile gleefully. "I want to find someone. Earlier this afternoon, she was kidnapped and I need to know her whereabout ASAP. You can help me with this, right?" Alexander stated his purpose. This left Jonathan dumbfounded. This afternoon? Kidnapped? He could not help but glance at the three people: Valentine, Benjamin, and Shanks. Seeing his look, the two men, Shanks and Benjamin, exchanged glances, while Valentine was shocked and in disbelief. She could clearly hear Ethan''s words mentioning one of his employees'' names, Alexander. Valentine was shocked when she connected the dots, the honest and brave young man was actually much braver than she had imagined. As Valentine met his gaze, the idea forming in her mind began to blossom even more, and a feeling of despair washed over her. If Alexander came here and got trapped, not only would the three of them suffer, but he would too. Still, she was a little curious about Alexander''s purpose in attacking their headquarters. "Is it because of me?" Valentine muttered in a low voice, a warmth filling her heart, though she shook her head. It was impossible for someone to come here and save her by risking himself. Alexander was brave, but she knew he would not be so foolish as to come here alone and bring trouble upon himself. Jonathan, was snapped back to attention by Alexander calling him from the other end. He then decided to continue asking for more information to confirm if what he was thinking was truly the case. "Can you tell me the name of the woman?" Jonathan inquired. "A woman? How does this guy know it''s a woman?" Alexander muttered inwardly, his brows furrowing. "Yes, it''s a woman. She''s my boss, Valentine Lancaster. Help me find her location, and I''ll spare your gang from trouble!" Alexander said. His voice was calm at first, but in the last sentence, his tone turned cold. The coldness seemed to envelop the air around him. Hugo, who was acting as a chair, felt all the hair on his body stand up. It was as if his life were hanging by a thread. He could not help but sweat profusely, soaking his clothes. The girls behind the couch, seeing this scene, passed out. They could not handle the power of Alexander''s pressure, as they were just normal people. Hugo, being a fighter with a strong will, managed to remain awake. Alexander hurriedly withdrew the pressure when he saw that the two women had passed out from it. That was just a small leak of his power, yet it was enough to make a normal person lose consciousness. Hearing the name, Jonathan looked at Valentine with hatred. Valentine, feeling the intensity of his gaze, was clueless about its cause. "So, you are looking for her? Do you want me to tell you where she is?" Jonathan responded in a cold voice, his eyes never leaving Valentine''s face. Hearing this, Alexander stood up from his seated position, his eyes widening with delight. Hugo, sensing that the devil had stood, slumped to the floor, hitting it with his face. He felt pardoned, even though the devil in front of him was not physically heavy. The pressure he exuded, however, was far heavier than Hugo could bear. Alexander did not notice that his chair was already lying on the floor¡ªhis focus was entirely on the phone. "Hurry up and tell me where she is!" Alexander commanded urgently. Being commanded by a kid made him very angry, but he still gave him the address. "Here''s the address. Don''t bring the police if you don''t want her to be hurt," Jonathan threatened, making Alexander frown. "Don''t tell me you''re the kidnapper¡ªthe person behind all this?" Alexander said, his face calm at this moment. From his tone and threats, it was clear that her boss was not hurt at this moment. "Yes, I am! You have grown so bold since I ignored you yesterday. Hurry and get here¡ªyou''d better arrive in 30 minutes, or something bad will really happen to her," Jonathan muttered, his voice laced with coldness. "Don''t you tr¡ª" His words were cut off as the call abruptly ended. Alexander remained absolutely calm even after the call ended. But in his heart, he had already sentenced him to death. Then his phone rang, displaying a pointer on a map. The location was marked in the mountains. Staring at the ceiling, his hand clenched into a fist. Lowering his knees for a moment and channeling Aether into his hand, he shot upward like a cannonball, punching through the ceiling. The whole place shook as his fist collided with the ceiling. The force was so destructive that it dislodged dirt, debris, and the cemented ceiling, creating a tunnel-like hole for him. When he emerged from a room, he looked at the window and ran toward it. The window shattered, its shards scattering everywhere. Alexander was so fast that even passing cars seemed stunned as they witnessed a human figure moving faster than them. Hearing the loud rumbling sound, like an earthquake had struck, Hugo was hit by a small grain of dirt from above. When he opened his eyes and looked up, his expression froze in shock. He felt as if his life had lost all its colors. "A monster¡­ a monster born in human skin," he muttered as he stared at the human-made wormhole, about five meters deep. From where he stood, he could even see the ceiling of the room above. "What kind of entity have we offended? The Black Serpent Gang is going to become a legend from this moment on," Hugo whispered as he stood up, deciding to leave early before anything worse happened. Chapter 111 - 111 The Battle Starts Jonathan, who had no idea that Alexander was already on his way to this place, glanced toward Valentine with a deadly smile. "I think you already know who was calling me, right?" he said. Valentine was clueless for a moment. Now that she was asked, her first idea began to resurface. "Don''t tell me he is really coming here to sa-save me?" she spoke, her lips turning pale as paper Jonathan smiled widely and clapped both of his hands. "That''s right, that troublemaker is causing trouble, and this time it''s a big one. So, thanks to you, we don''t need to look for the kid since he will be coming here and will be taken care of." Valentine, hearing this, was enraged. Her father and her uncle Shanks were already involved in this matter because of him, and now his employee was going to be added to the list, making her angry. "You¡ªyou...!" Valentine exclaimed in an enraged tone while pointing at him. "You what?" Jonathan asked smugly. "You are evil." Hearing this, Jonathan burst into laughter, and even Ethan could not help but let out a small laugh as well. "Haha, do you think this is a fairy tale where the villain is defeated by some random prince charming saving the princess? Let me tell you this: the script will change because the villain will be the one to stomp that prince charming," he concluded with a laugh. Valentine could not help but bite her lip as a streak of blood slid down from her lips, all the way to her jaw, dripping onto the floor. "Tough woman. The taste will be exciting," Ronaldo muttered under his breath while licking his lips. He decided to have fun with the woman later, since the more despair she felt, the more enjoyable it would be for him. After all, it was just a kid¡ªwhy would he be afraid of a child with only a few skills? Valentine did not say anything more, which made Jonathan feel satisfied. Now, the only thing he needed to do was wait for the kid to come. Suddenly, one of his men called out from behind, "Boss, there is someone at the gate." "Someone at the gate?" Jonathan thought as he responded, "Who is that person? Are there a lot of them?" he asked, looking toward the man standing near the door. "Uhh, it''s only one person, boss, and it''s a kid. We were just guarding the place when he suddenly appeared outside the gate," the man responded respectfully. "Also, he''s here because you called him a few minutes ago. Should we let him in?" the man asked for permission. "He''s here? Isn''t that too fast?" Jonathan was dumbfounded when he heard this. Picking up the phone in his pockets, he turned it on and checked the time and navigated his thumb to the recent calls. It was now 9:08 pm., and their call had ended at 9:02 pm. How is it so fast? His mind was filled with questions since this mountain was at least 15 kilometers away from their headquarters. From the call just now, he knew that Alexander must be at their headquarters, so he gave him plenty of time. However, arriving in less than 10 minutes seemed impossible. "Don''t tell me this kid was already below the mountain when the call was made, or did he just run his way up here, back to the headquarters?" Jonathan thought of this idea but shook his head, as this seemed a bit impossible. Climbing up the mountain would also take more than 10 minutes. If he took a car, it would take just 5 minutes. Even Ethan, who was beside him, was clueless about this. It was so fast that it seemed impossible for a normal person to close the gap in the distance within just a few minutes. "Bring him here," Jonathan commanded the man, who nodded and left the area. "That seems too inhumane," Ethan thought, as he took a walkie-talkie device from his pocket and held it. "Deadeye, have you seen someone climb up the mountain a few minutes ago?" Ethan said into the device. On the other side, on a hill with his back leaning against a tree, he could see the abandoned factory from up here. He was wearing goggles attached to his head. He could clearly see the road leading to this place, so when he listened to the device, he maneuvered the goggles toward the gate and saw a kid standing there, which baffled him. "What the¡ªhow the heck did this kid get up here?" Deadeye, one of the four captains of the Black Serpent gang, exclaimed he was the gun man of this gang. He was an expert when it came to using guns, and, indeed, this was one of Jonathan''s reinforcements. If the plan failed, they could escape or clean up the mess by shooting their opponents when they were off guard. Deadeye had three people on his side who were also veterans in using guns. They were positioned at the south, east, and west, while he was stationed in the north. The abandoned factory was surrounded on all four sides, which made spotting anyone a breeze for them. Their positions were not only hidden but also provided an excellent view of the area. "I did not see him; even my team did not report anything. It''s just like he popped out of nowhere," he answered on the phone. Hearing the response, Ethan felt like he was struck by lightning. This seemed too absurd. "Does this kid know teleportation like Goku? But that''s just cartoons," he grumbled to himself. Deadeye did not receive any further reply. He called his own people and told them the same thing. His mind was in a dilemma over how a person could suddenly appear out of thin air. What he received also left the three stunned. When they looked at the gate, they saw a person standing there, leaving them dumbfounded by this discovery as well. Deadeye crouched down and held the sniper rifle in his hands. It was a Barrett M82A1, a massive anti-material sniper rifle designed to devastate targets at extreme ranges. Measuring nearly 57 inches (over 4.7 feet) in length, the barrel alone stretched about 29 inches. Weighing around 30 pounds without attachments, it was a beast of a firearm, built for both intimidation and destruction. It was equipped with a custom high-power optic scope, featuring a lens nearly as wide as a coffee cup. The scope allowed Deadeye to zoom in on targets over a mile away, with its precision reticle calibrated for long-range shots requiring minimal adjustment. It had its own windage and elevation dials, which allowed him to account for factors like wind speed and bullet drop. The scope''s glass was crystal clear, providing Deadeye with a sharp, unobstructed view of his prey, even in low-light conditions. The Barrett was chambered in .50 BMG (Browning Machine Gun) rounds¡ªmassive, cigar-sized bullets nearly 5.5 inches long. These rounds could pierce through vehicles, walls, and even light armor with ease. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If the top assassins saw this, they would have praised him, as owning this kind of gun was no simple feat. In the Philippines, civilian ownership of sniper rifles like this one was prohibited, as they were classified as military-grade weapons. The .50 BMG caliber, in particular, was highly restricted due to its destructive potential. Only law enforcement or groups with significant influence had access to such weapons, and even then, they were likely smuggled. The fact that the Black Serpent Gang possessed such a weapon demonstrated how powerful their background was. Maneuvering the gun with his eyes on the scope, Deadeye pointed it toward the person at the gate¡ªAlexander, who was looking at the two men with guns. Alexander was just standing there, waiting for the guy to come back, when he suddenly felt like someone was watching him. There were eyes on him from every direction. He lifted his head and pierced the darkness with his gaze. Deadeye, who had aimed his gun at Alexander''s head, was stunned when the kid looked him directly in the eye. This frightened him, as he realized the boy was staring straight at him. "This¡ªthis¡­ is he a ghost? Can he see me from this distance? It''s already night. No, just the distance alone makes it impossible for me to be seen, even if it were a soldier using a telescope." But Alexander lowered his gaze, as the man who told him to wait finally arrived. Deadeye, seeing this, sighed in relief, thinking he must have been imagining things earlier. Alexander, who was finally inside, followed the man. He was not afraid of the sniper aiming at him, even though the sniper was positioned 500¨C600 meters away from him. He was not afraid of getting shot, in the middle of his walking. With his senses that were already 100 times better than a normal person''s, he could dodge a bullet as long as he was prepared for it. Chapter 112 - 112 Are you looking for this? When Alexander entered the factory, he saw that there were many members of the Black Serpent gang. They were carrying different weapons, and worse, they were carrying guns. However, to him, these were just toys. When Alexander arrived at the abandoned warehouse, he saw that the man leading the way had stopped at the door. He looked at him with a glare. "Get inside. You better be respectful or¡ª" he did not finish what he was saying because Alexander simply walked past him and entered. The man was greatly furious, but Alexander was already inside, so he decided to follow and see how the kid would be dealt with. Once inside, Alexander saw a short man with a fierce expression on his face. Beside him stood the man he had met at the bar. Jonathan finally saw the kid who just entered the door, it was the troublemaker who had caused great damage to him and his gang. He stared at him, filled with anger, as if he wanted to eat him alive. It was not only Jonathan, but also the other members of the Black Serpent gang, who had overheard the conversation earlier. The man who had brought him inside did not know about this, but he also glared at him, furious at having been ignored earlier. After glancing at the short man for a moment, Alexander shifted his gaze towards the three people, among whom was the woman he was familiar with. It was Valentine, who was looking at him with concern. Now that he was here, he already implicated his self in this trouble. Alexander did not feel any fear or burden at all. He simply walked toward the three people as all eyes were fixed on him. When he arrived in front of Valentine, he hurriedly checked her condition. Other than a slap and the blood on her lips, there were no further problems. Alexander released a sigh. "Boss, don''t worry. Now that I''m here, leave this matter to me," Alexander said as he looked down at her, since he was a head taller. Valentine was anxious. The worry in her eyes deepened; she did not trust his words at all. After being exposed to supernatural things, she could clearly see that these people¡ªespecially that one man is a monster. "Not only can he play with his uncle, whom she had known to be strong for a long time, but she also knows that Alexander will be no match. He is strong and she knows that but in front of this man, especially these people, now that they are armed not with bats and knives but with guns, real guns she knows what kind of trouble this is. Valentine finally knows that this world is actually far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. Staring at Alexander, the guilt in her heart grew bigger and bigger." "Alexander, are you stupid? Why did you come here? If you were trying to save me, you should have thought twice before rushing in," Valentine grumbled in anger, staring at him in the face. Hearing the concern in her words, Alexander simply smiled. Seeing his carefree smile, Valentine became even more anxious, thinking that Alexander was just here to play some kind of game. "Don''t worry, Boss. Now that I''m here, I will help you leave this place untouched," Alexander promised as he stood straight. But his words had no effect on her. Valentine simply sighed in frustration. She was about to think of a solution when she was interrupted. "Are you treating us like spectators here? You, kid¡ªyou are so arrogant. After causing this much trouble, you still have the nerve to ignore me," Jonathan said coldly, as the men behind him held their guns. They were showing their guns to scare Alexander, but he simply looked at them as if they were insignificant. Seeing his gaze, Jonathan wondered if this kid was mentally retarded. Since he was so calm, so calm that feels like he was not in trouble at all. "Does he think these guns are toys?" Jonathan though, with that he took a pistol in one of his people and pointed at him. Seeing that a gun was pointed at him, Valentine grabbed his hands, planning to pull him behind her and shield him, but he did not budge from his position. Not expecting Alexander''s reaction to what she was trying to do, she felt a pang of anxiety because of it. "Alexander, this is not the time to be stubborn. Get behind me¡ª" her words were cut off as Alexander squeezed the hands she was using to pull him. Tilting his head slightly, he looked at her calmly and responded, "Just get behind me. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine," he comforted. Looking at his stubborn personality, her expression tightened with worry. But she could not do anything anymore since she could not stop him. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Benjamin, who was behind the two, seeing this, he was about to stop the kid from acting like a hero but was held back by the back of his clothes. Looking behind, it was Shanks who held him back. "Benjamin, don''t stop the kid. I feel that he''s not normal. Look at his expression," he said to him. Benjamin then looked at Alexander and saw that the kid he had met at the mall was devoid of any fear on his face. "See, there is no fear in his eyes. This is not stubbornness or arrogance, because if he had these two qualities, the fear could not be hidden," Shanks said with a heavy breath. Benjamin listened to his words but still felt a little skeptical, given how young Alexander was to be able to deal with this matter. He really applauded this kid for his courage to come here at night just to save his daughter. Now that the kid was about to die a meaningless death, he was, of course, worried. Shanks, seeing that Benjamin was in a dilemma about whether to trust his words or not, pointed out another fact. "Benjamin, listen. From the call just now, this kid in front of you was alone when he took down the headquarters of this gang. You do know how dangerous that is, right? Now that the kid is standing in front of you without any injuries, let''s trust him and leave this matter for him to handle," Shanks explained. Benjamin decided to accept his words, so he stopped. But he prepared himself, knowing that if this kid was just all talk, he would do his best to help, even at the cost of his own life. Jonathan, looking at Alexander, noticed that the kid glanced at him without showing any panic at all, which made him a bit frustrated. This was not the reaction he was expecting. "Kid, from the moment you die, this will be the end of our grudge," Jonathan bellowed coldly, growing impatient as too much time was being wasted. With that, the sound of a gunshot rang out, like the roar of thunder, Valentine''s trembled as she leaned against his back, holding his left hand. But after some time, she realized that Alexander had not moved at all. She popped her head out and was stunned to see the expressions of the people in front of her. Their faces were filled with disbelief, while some looked clueless. When the gun was fired, they had clearly seen that it was aimed at Alexander, but after a few seconds, the kid was still unharmed. "Where did my bullet go?" Jonathan exclaimed. As he inspected his gun, he checked and confirmed that there were still bullets inside. He then looked at Alexander, who was still standing as if nothing had happened. "Did I miss?" Jonathan thought. With that, he glared at Alexander with a deadly stare. Pointing the gun at him again, this time Jonathan fired twice. The resounding sound of the gunshots echoed once more. This time, he did not move his gaze, but when the bullets reached Alexander, they simply vanished into thin air. Ronaldo, who was standing on the side with his back leaning against the wall, watched the scene with amusement. "Interesting..." he said in a low voice, having clearly seen what had happened earlier. Viper Ronin, on the other side, did not share the same amusement, as his expression was also stunned. With his enhanced eyesight, he could clearly see the bullets, but just as they came within inches of the kid, they vanished into thin air. "What!" Jonathan could not help but voice out loudly. Even the men standing behind him, holding their guns, were equally stunned. They could not understand why the kid was still unscathed. "Is the gun malfunctioning?" Jonathan asked Ethan as he looked at him. Ethan, who was being questioned, shook his head. "No, it''s not, boss. I think that kid over there did something strange," he responded. Jonathan, hearing what Ethan said, nodded his head, as he only needed clarification. The gun in his hand was not the problem¡ªit was the person it was pointed at. "Hey, you, what did you do just now? Why are you still alive?" Jonathan asked, this time lowering his gun. His eyes were full of wariness as he stared at Alexander. Valentine, hearing what he said, was also curious about where the bullets had gone. Alexander just smiled as he extended his right hand, which had not moved this entire time. "Are you looking for this?" Chapter 113 - 113 As Alexander opened his palms, the three bullets were there, and when they dropped, the metallic clang rang loudly in the vicinity. All of them were flabbergasted as they stared at Alexander, full of shock; the kid in front of them was actually the same as the three master. Not only could they dodge bullets, but their strength was also inhumane. As all of them observed Alexander, they began to understand that they must treat this kid seriously, or they would be the ones to die. Jonathan, who had fully understood his situation, was not panicked since he had two masters by his side. But for the other one, Master Ronaldo he does not know if his going to help him with this. If he wanted to continue his reign in this city, he had to eliminate this kid right now. If the kid ever escaped and sought revenge, Jonathan would be dead. Since hiring a master had already depleted all of his money, hiring another one was out of the question¡ªhe simply could not afford it. "I''m surprised, kid. You''re actually this strong. No wonder you were arrogant enough to challenge us, but you''ve made the wrong choice this time. I don''t believe you can dodge a rain of bullets without evading, right?" Jonathan said with a wicked smile. "Not evading?" Alexander muttered under his breath, glancing back for a moment before looking forward. He finally understood his intent. "Don''t you want them alive at all?" Alexander''s face changed; he was no longer relaxed. Seeing the kid''s changed in expression, Jonathan felt ecstatic, and his smile deepened even more. Jonathan spread his arms wide and shouted, "That''s right! What do you think my purpose was for bringing them to this abandoned factory? Of course, to get rid of them!" His saliva splattered as he shouted. Then he instructed his men to aim and be ready to fire at Alexander. If Alexander decided to evade, the people behind him would die. Seeing this advantage, the men holding the AKs were elated, feeling as though they had already won. Shank''s face turned pale as he saw over 30 people in front of them pointing their guns in their direction. If the kid made even a slight mistake, their chances of survival would be nonexistent. Benjamin, seeing the situation escalate like this, had an ashen expression. Valentine could not help but clutch Alexander''s shirt from behind, her head pressed against his broad back. She was not trembling this time; instead, her face was filled with regret. She tapped Alexander''s back, her face lowered as she stared at the floor. "Alexander, thank you so much for coming just to save me. I''m very sorry for this. I think dying is much better than being shamed. After seeing your capability, escaping right now wouldn''t be a problem for you at all. Please leave the moment they fired," Valentine said, her face filled with regret and seriousness. Hearing the voice behind him, Alexander''s face turned serious as he stood tall, his posture imposing. "I will not leave," he responded. Valentine couldn''t help but smile wryly. She was about to persuade him further, but the sound of gunfire began to echo. Bang!!! A rain of bullets began to shower down upon them. Alexander''s expression turned serious as his aura underwent a drastic change. With one hand extended and using just his index finger, he blocked the rain of bullets that dared to strike him. The sound of the collisions was not metallic but resembled the impact of bullets hitting an unyielding, rock-hard surface. "Fire! Fire! Shoot him to death!" Jonathan commanded loudly. His men let out battle cries as they continued holding the triggers, showering Alexander with bullets. However, Alexander''s single hand moved so fast that it left afterimages blocking every bullet, that dared to hit him. The bullets that passed by him posed no threat, as he had calculated their trajectories carefully. He could have blocked them if he wanted to, but he chose not to, knowing they wouldn''t hit the two people behind him. Seeing this scene, Jonathan began to feel a sense of dread as he noticed that the bullets falling to the ground were flattened from being blocked by the kid in front of him. "Shit! We need to take drastic measures. Hey, you, come here!" Jonathan shouted at one of his men. The man hurriedly ran over to his boss. "Yes, boss, wha¡ª" he started, but his words were cut short as Jonathan pulled a grenade hidden in his clothing. This gang was truly dangerous. Not only did they have an arsenal of weaponry, but they also had access to explosives. "Let''s see if you can block this!" Jonathan yelled as he pulled the safety pin, igniting the grenade. He then hurled it toward Alexander. Seeing the situation, Alexander rushed forward, ensuring that none of the bullets from the ongoing rain would reach the two people behind him as he made his move. Valentine was surprised this time because Alexander had pulled her into his arms and was now carrying her in a princess carry. She was terrified, and in her panic, she shifted her position, wrapping her delicate arms tightly around Alexander''s back. Her chin rested on his shoulder, her eyes squeezed shut. Her legs wrapped around Alexander''s waist to ensure she wouldn''t fall. Feeling her tight embrace, Alexander was momentarily stunned by her sudden change in position. The two soft peaches pressed against his chest, causing a fleeting moment of heat to rise within him, but he quickly shook it off. Leaping about six feet into the air, Alexander positioned himself above the grenade. With a powerful kick, he sent the grenade flying back into midair. As the grenade soared upward and struck the roof, it detonated with a deafening boom. The shockwave from the explosion rippled through the abandoned warehouse, shaking its very structure. The roof, made of rusted corrugated metal panels, bore the brunt of the blast. Years of neglect had left the structure weak and brittle, unable to withstand such force. The powerful explosion tore through the metal sheets, sending jagged shards flying like deadly shrapnel. Twisted chunks of the corrugated roofing crashed to the ground with sharp metallic clangs, some embedding themselves into the concrete floor below. The blast caused several sections of the roof to buckle and collapse. Seeing this earlier, they all stopped shooting and hurriedly scattered to the sides, dodging the dust and debris that rained down on the spot where they once stood. Valentine clung tightly to Alexander, her heart racing as the deafening explosion echoed around them. She even felt the shockwave pass through her body. Her fear was palpable as she buried her face deeper into Alexander''s shoulder, trembling uncontrollably. Still in midair, Alexander, feeling her shaken, extended his hand and gently patted the back of her hair to comfort her. Feeling Alexander''s touch, Valentine didn''t know why, but she felt safe and secure, as though all her fears were melting away. His touch worked like magic, putting her at ease. Alexander then landed gracefully, but instead of staying still, he immediately pounced toward the enemies. His speed was so fast that none of them had time to react. With the air filled with dust and debris, they could no longer see clearly. However, one by one, they began to hear loud screams¡ªshouts of agony filled with excruciating pain. The man, terrified out of his wits, hurriedly reached for the AK lying on the ground. His fingers were already brushing against the cold metal when, out of nowhere, a dark figure loomed over him. Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, a devastating kick slammed into his face. The impact was thunderous, like a sledgehammer colliding with a steel plate. A sharp cracking sound echoed through the dusty air, sending shivers down the spines of those nearby. The force of the kick snapped the back of his head violently, sending a spray of blood and saliva into the air, as if in slow motion. The sheer power of the strike lifted the man''s entire body off the ground, flipping him backward like a ragdoll before he crashed onto the debris-strewn floor with a loud thud. The earlier shouts and groans clearly indicated that he was not the first victim. Disappearing like a ghost, Alexander reappeared again and again, targeting them one by one. The loud wailing sounds struck fear into their hearts as they remained unable to see what was happening. A man who had picked up his rifle was trembling with terror and prepared to fire blindly in every direction. Just as his finger was about to pull the trigger, a powerful force suddenly gripped the muzzle of the rifle. Looking up, he realized it was the kid. Fear washed over him, and in desperation, he fired the gun, thinking he couldn''t possibly miss at such close range. However, Alexander exerted enough force on the muzzle to bend it into scrap. The bullet exploded inside the broken barrel, rendering the weapon useless. The man was frightened as he stumbled backward from the explosion. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a fist hurtling toward his face. Too slow to react, he was struck squarely. A sickening crunch echoed as Alexander''s fist slammed into his face, caving it in and distorting it as though it had been crushed. His nose shattered, and his teeth either flew out or were bent forcefully under the impact. Blood sprayed through the air as the man was sent flying backward. His body slammed against the wall, his head hitting it with a thud. Dazed, he saw stars circling him before succumbing to his sleep. In just one minute, Alexander had finished dealing with all the problems. As the debris and dust finally settled, Jonathan couldn''t help but cough, his throat irritated from inhaling the thick, polluted air. "What''s happening?!" he exclaimed loudly, his voice filled with panic. He had heard countless cries of pain in rapid succession, it was bone-crunching sounds that sent shivers down his spine. Jonathan suddenly felt a hand coil around his shoulder. When he turned to see who it was, he was rendered speechless. Ethan, also coughing from the dust, was clinging tightly to Jonathan, trembling with fear and sticking close to him, terrified that something bad might happen to him. But as the dust settled, nothing seemed to happen. Ethan glanced at his boss''s face, then down at his own hands, which were tightly clutching Jonathan''s arm. Realizing how cowardly he looked, he quickly let go, scurrying backward like a lizard. Jonathan couldn''t help but curse inwardly at his assistant''s spineless behavior. Among the four captains under his command, Ethan was by far the most cowardly. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it weren''t for his excellent management skills and high IQ, he would have never been given the position of assistant. Ignoring Ethan, Jonathan wandered his gaze around the area. As he took in the scene, he felt the color drain from his face. All of his men were now unconscious, and their conditions were painful to behold. Jonathan felt his scalp go numb just from the sight before him. Though he could tell they were still alive, the thought of recovery? Oh, hell no! It was clear to him that they would need permanent medical care if they even wanted a chance at survival. Their faces were disfigured, with crooked noses and broken mouths. Some of their arms dangled limply, like shattered branches. Despite his years of experience in the underworld, Jonathan could barely swallow the scene, especially when he noticed that some of their bones were protruding through their skin. "Only you two are left," Alexander said, gently patting Valentine on the back to prompting her to let go. Valentine, whose eyes had been tightly shut, felt the soft tap on her back. She leaned away, and their faces met, staring directly at each other. They were in close proximity, and Valentine was momentarily entranced. However, Alexander had no time for such distractions. "Don''t worry, the danger is gone now. Go and stand in the back," Alexander said, pointing behind him, breaking the moment. Valentine let out a small grumble. The atmosphere had been undeniably romantic when their gazes locked, and for the first time, she felt her heart racing faster than ever before. But Alexander ruined the moment, leaving her pouting in disappointment since this feeling is really new to her. But she knew how crucial the moment was, so she quickly let go and walked toward her father and uncle, who were still lying on the ground. When she glanced back and took in the scene, she felt like she was about to pass out from this. The sight was horrifying, especially as she listened to their labored, heavy breathing, which sounded as if their lives were hanging by a thread. Chapter 114 - 114 The place was deathly silent, with only the wails of pain breaking the stillness. Hearing Alexander''s cold and heartless words, Ethan and Jonathan swallowed nervously, feeling as if a deadly knife was pressed against their throats. Alexander''s eyes were calm¡ªdeathly calm¡ªas he walked toward them in slow, deliberate strides. But before he could get any closer. The old man, having recovered a little, stepped forward with both hands behind his back. His previously battered appearance was now restored, revealing his dignified and imposing presence. "Not bad, kiddo. I really gotta hand it to you. You''re so young, yet you''re already this strong. If you join a sect, I believe that with your talent, you could easily be accepted as a disciple," Viper Ronan praised him. Viper Ronan then shook his head, his eyes filled with pity. "But too bad¡ªyou will never have that opportunity!" he said, his voice laced with venom. His killing intent spread outward, and Alexander could clearly feel it. But who was he? Compared to everything he had experienced, this was nothing¡ªhis own killing intent had already been honed to perfection. Seeing the unwavering look in Alexander''s eyes, Viper Ronan''s expression shifted to one of appreciation. "Let''s end this, kiddo!" he declared as he pounced toward Alexander. Alexander, who had remained calm from the very start, observed the old man carefully. Ronan''s face was filled with a smile, his arms stretched outward, hands open like a palm strike. The pressure he exuded was powerful¡ªat least, it would be if his opponent were an ordinary person. When Alexander noticed that the old man''s attack was aimed at his chest, he remained unfazed. The spectators, especially Ethan and Jonathan, were ecstatic. Their lives had been spared, and they could see that Master Ronan was closing in. Meanwhile, the kid who had nearly made them pee their pants appeared to be frozen in fear. Benjamin and Shanks watched the unfolding scene without so much as a blink, their gazes fixed on the impending clash. Valentine, noticing that Alexander wasn''t dodging at all, panicked. "Alexander, hurry up and defend yourself!" she exclaimed. On the side, Ronaldo observed the scene calmly, his eyes fixated on the boy named Alexander. When the old man was just five feet away, Alexander lazily stretched out his arm and countered with a palm strike of his own. Viper Ronan, seeing his response, narrowed his eyes in mockery. Scoffing at the attempt, he refused to back down, fully committing to the strike. While his attack carried both ferocity and skill, Alexander merely stretched out his arm lazily, as if mocking him. "You''ll regret this!" the old man roared as their fists collided. A shockwave rippled outward from the impact, sending a gust of air through the surroundings. The force of their strikes produced a loud, resounding slap. For a few moments, they were locked in a stalemate. Viper Ronan held his ground, his expression turning serious as his eyes burned red with intensity. Then, suddenly, blood trickled from his mouth. Moments later, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body trembling as the force of the strike finally took effect. The impact sent him hurtling backward until he crashed into a concrete wall with a thunderous impact. His arm, which he had thrown forward with full force, felt as if it had struck solid metal, making him grit his teeth in pain. Though his bones hadn''t broken, the overwhelming power he had just endured left his hand trembling uncontrollably. Still stuck against the wall, Viper Ronan pushed himself off the concrete, forcing his body to drop down and land on both feet. Raising a hand, he wiped the blood from his lips. He didn''t utter a word¡ªhis focus was now entirely locked onto Alexander. He had underestimated the kid in front of him. His strength seemed to be on par with the man he had just fought¡ªor perhaps "on par" wasn''t the right word. From their brief exchange, it was clear that this boy was even stronger. Viper Ronan''s face turned solemn. Alexander raised an eyebrow as he observed the old man. "If you won''t come, I will," he said in a calm voice. With his hands casually tucked into his pockets, he took a step forward¡ªand in that instant, his figure vanished. Viper Ronan''s eyes trembled as he scanned his surroundings, his wariness at its peak. "Don''t tell me¡­ he''s at my back¡ª" he exclaimed, swiftly turning his head. But before he could react further, a shadowy figure materialized right in front of him, forcing him to snap his gaze forward once more. "Where are you looking?" Alexander said, still in a relaxed manner as he delivered a sweeping kick from the side. Viper Ronan, relying on his quick reflexes, barely managed to raise his arm in time to block the attack. However, the sheer force of the blow sent him flying sideways, staggering as he struggled to regain his footing. A sharp numbness spread through his right arm, making his face pale. He glared at Alexander with murderous intent, his expression twisted with frustration. Slapping the ground with force, he left a deep handprint in the cement. The impact propelled his body upward, allowing him to stand tall once more. "Is this kid a monster?" Viper Ronan exclaimed in shock. This was the first time he had ever been beaten so one-sidedly. "Kid, I really underestimated you. If given a few more years, I can only imagine the heights you would reach with such talent. But from this moment on, I will put an end to that!" Viper Ronin said menacingly, his eyes turning an eerie green. He shifted into a stance as his entire aura took a drastic turn¡ªthick and venomous. A sinister green light radiated from his hands. "This move is my hidden technique. If I''m pushed into a corner, this is my only choice. Be honored for you will be the third person to die by my hands using this technique!" Viper Ronin declared with vigor. "Oh? If it''s a hidden technique, you should''ve kept it hidden¡ªbecause it won''t change the outcome," Alexander responded indifferently, his tone filled with utter disregard. He didn''t even consider his opponent worth taking seriously. Viper Ronin flared up in anger and charged straight at Alexander. But just before reaching him, he kicked the ground, launching himself into the air. Spinning rapidly, he extended both hands upward, radiating a venomous aura. "Venom Wave!" the old man roared as he closed in on Alexander, his eyes filled with madness while he spun like a whirlwind. Alexander, unfazed, simply took a step forward and delivered a hammering blow. Viper Ronin''s eyes widened in shock¡ªhis spinning attack had been effortlessly dodged. In that moment, he caught sight of Alexander at his side, his seemingly ordinary fist barreling toward his face. Bang! The force of that deceptively simple punch struck his cheek with crushing power, instantly halting his momentum. His vision blurred, his eyes rolling white as Alexander exerted even more force, sending him hurtling down toward the ground. The old man''s body hit the ground with such force that cracks spread across the surface. His body even bounced slightly, like a pillow tossed onto the floor, before settling motionless. Viper Ronin wasn''t dead¡ªAlexander could still hear his heavy breathing. He was merely unconscious, so it was fine. Even if he had died, it wouldn''t have mattered to him. Sliding his hands back into his pockets, Alexander shifted his gaze toward the martial artist standing in the corner, his expression calm and unreadable. The spectators watching the scene were gripped with fear. Ethan and Jonathan felt their scalps go numb as they processed how easily Alexander had defeated the old master. But unlike them, Shanks and Benjamin had a different reaction. The light in Benjamin''s eyes grew even brighter¡ªbecause now, they had a chance to survive. Shanks was in awe. Even though he could defeat the old man, it wouldn''t have been this one-sided. If he used his own techniques, he might achieve a similar result¡ªprobably. But in reality, he knew he couldn''t do what this kid had just done. Alexander''s attacks seemed to lack any discernible technique, yet their sheer power was overwhelming. Valentine, still processing what had happened, felt as if she were in a dream. Was her employee actually this godly? "Why does he even work at a restaurant? If he''s this strong, he could just apply to be a bodyguard or take on other power-related jobs," she thought inwardly, her gaze filled with curiosity as she studied Alexander. "It''s your turn," Alexander spoke in a low voice, yet Ronaldo heard him clearly. The martial artist had remained silent up until now, but upon being called out, he responded with a bright smile¡ªcompletely unfazed by the battle that had just unfolded. He had confidence in his own strength, and given his opponent''s younger age, he believed he held the advantage. "You are strong, but you''re still young. Arrogance at your age is normal, but knowing when to restrain it is what matters," Ronaldo said, his expression shifting as his gaze turned icy cold. In an instant, he unleashed a powerful pressure that blanketed the entire area. Jonathan, Ethan, Valentine, Benjamin, and Shanks all felt the overwhelming force pressing down on them¡ªit was as if a heavy car had been placed on their backs, making their breathing labored. Ronaldo''s eyes gleamed when he noticed that Alexander remained completely unaffected. But Alexander, seeing Valentine sweating and the others struggling to breathe, calmly took one hand out of his pocket. With a simple flick of his finger, a wave of power surged forward, instantly neutralizing the oppressive force Ronaldo had released. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are there any more tricks?" Alexander asked in a carefree tone. Hearing this, Ronaldo''s expression twisted in fury. A devilish smile spread across his face as he replied in a cold, shrill voice. "Yes." With that, he pounced at Alexander, his fist glowing brightly.