Joe sprinted through the streets of Suveny. Night had settled over the town, the moon hanging high with a scattering of stars across the dark sky. The air was cool, which made breathing easy as he cut from one street to the next.

  Ten seconds into his run, he stopped abruptly.

  “Wait. I rushed out because I didn’t want to be late and get into more trouble with the guards… but I never asked Bella for directions to the station.”

  He slapped his forehead and exhaled.

  “Whatever. I’ll just search the entire town.”

  With that decided, he burst forward again.

  He was confident he could spot a Guard Station on sight. With his enhanced attributes, crossing the entire town would not exhaust him. He treated the run as training, moving at 35% of his maximum speed to adjust to his new limits. It was hard as anticipated, he nearly smashed into a few buildings, misjudging turns and distances, but he adapted quickly. Riding on Olivia’s back before had helped him understand high speed movement.

  Gradually, he increased to 50% of his base speed while maintaining control. His perception compensated for the dim lighting, allowing him to navigate empty streets with precision. The lack of pedestrians meant he did not have to hold back. After more than five minutes of running laps across Suveny, he finally found it.

  The Guard Station stood tall and imposing, comparable in size to the Adventurer’s Guild. Behind it stretched a large training field and several secondary buildings. Joe steadied his breathing before stepping inside.

  The moment he entered, noise hit him. Guards in uniform moved in every direction. A long queue stretched across the reception area. Voices overlapped as people argued, explained, and demanded attention.

  Joe took an empty seat and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

  A man was shoved into the seat beside him by a guard.

  “Wait here, you disgusting trash,” the guard said coldly before walking off.

  Joe studied the man beside him. He looked around his age, wearing a leather jacket, fitted pants, and black boots. His outfit resembled that of many swordsman adventurers, except he carried no weapon. A metal collar circled his neck.

  The man turned and smiled warmly. “What brings you here?”

  “Destruction of property. You?”

  The man leaned closer and whispered, “Smiling Devil.” He leaned back and chuckled.

  Joe frowned. “What’s that?”

  “You’ve never heard of it?” The man looked surprised. “It’s the best pill on the market. Boosts your attributes through the roof. The guards don’t like people getting their hands on it. They want to control the supply.”

  Joe immediately understood. Even in a world of magic, drugs existed.

  “Why take it if you knew it was illegal?”

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  “My mother’s sick. I needed higher paying quests. A friend of mine, my own party leader, reported me.”

  “How does it feel? Consuming the Smiling Devil?” Joe asked.

  The man’s smile widened.

  “Like tasting heaven. I could only afford less than a quarter of a pill, but in that moment, I felt like a god.” His eyes drifted upward as if reliving it.

  The guard returned and grabbed him roughly.

  “Come on, junkie.”

  The man laughed softly as he was dragged away.

  Joe watched them disappear.

  He didn’t seem evil. Just desperate.

  Joe thought of his uncle and how hard addiction was to break. He hoped the man still had time to pull himself out.

  An hour passed as Joe moved closer in the line. Eventually, he stood before the receptionist.

  “My name is Joseph Miller. I was summoned by the town guards.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “It’s you,” she muttered.

  She touched a small purple crystal on the counter. It glowed faintly. She nodded, spoke quietly to a colleague to cover for her, and gestured for Joe to follow.

  They moved down a hallway. She wore a guard hat, a navy cropped shirt exposing her abdomen, short shorts, and boots. Though shorter than Joe, she carried herself with authority. She did not speak or look back.

  They climbed stairs and stopped at a lone door.

  “Go in,” she said.

  Joe entered and closed the door. She remained outside.

  Inside, a man sat casually on a table fifteen meters away. He looked young, athletic, wearing a tight black vest, loose pants, and boots. He grinned broadly.

  “It’s good to finally meet you.”

  Before Joe could reply, the man vanished.

  A fist appeared inches from Joe’s face.

  Joe reacted instantly, catching the punch. A left hook followed. Joe ducked and countered with a kick to the man’s torso, sending him sliding back several meters.

  The man grinned wider and closed the gap in a blink.

  Joe barely avoided a kick that cracked the wooden door behind him. He pivoted, but the man was already there again. A second kick struck his forearms as he blocked, the impact launching him into the stone wall.

  Before he could recover, a knee drove into his abdomen. The air left his lungs as he folded forward.

  He dropped to his knees.

  The man crouched and grabbed his head, forcing eye contact.

  “Let’s have a talk.”

  Minutes later, Joe sat across from him on a wooden chair, holding a warm drink that tasted like coffee. The damaged wall and door slowly repaired themselves as faint white runes glowed across their surfaces. Forcing him to wonder why Sophia had not purchased them.

  The man scribbled notes on paper.

  “So. Where are you from?” he asked. “And don’t say Suveny.”

  “I don’t know. My memories are blurry. I remember waking up in Suveny.”

  “So you appeared out of thin air?” he said sarcastically.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m not joking.”

  “Neither am I.”

  The man studied him, then sighed.

  “Fine. Let’s talk about the town gate. Did you destroy it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I escaped from Evergreen. I thought I was going to die. No one answered when I called for help, so I forced my way in.”

  “That gate has stood for a hundred years. It withstood a Grade 2 beast. Most Awakened can’t scratch it. Yet you destroyed it as an Unawakened?”

  “You may not believe me, but that’s the truth.”

  “Oh, I believe you,” the man said calmly. “I just wanted confirmation. Our little spar proved everything. No Unawakened could dodge me, let alone block. I have a Third Rank Combat Specialty. Even holding back, you should have died. You’re the one we’ve been looking for.”

  Joe said nothing.

  “So tell me. How are you this strong without mana? Special Physique?”

  Joe smiled. “Adrenaline.”

  The man laughed.

  “You’re amusing.”

  “Does that mean I walk away with a warning?”

  “If it were up to me, maybe. You don't strike me as a bad guy. But I answer to someone else. Normally you’d get several years. I’ll make it two days. Not counting today.”

  “That’s generous. Thank you.”

  “It comes with a condition. You’ll do me a favor.”

  “If it’s within my ability.”

  “You’ll know when the time comes.”

  He touched a crystal orb on the desk.

  “I hope you enjoy your stay. You’re about to see the darker side of this town.”

  A guard entered, bowed, and hauled Joe up, forcing him to leave his drink behind.

  “Hey, I was still drinking that.”

  The guard slung him over his shoulder.

  Joe looked up at the man behind the desk.

  “Your name, sir?”

  “Steve.”

  “I’ll remember it.”

  The door shut.

  Steve’s grin faded. He lifted his vest and examined the damage. A deep red wound spread across his abdomen. Internal bleeding. Several fractured ribs.

  Excitement filled his eyes.

  “A real monster has arrived.”