Chapter 005

Due to the combined effect of the Coin of Wonders and the Forgotten Cloak, Alvin managed to slip right under the noses of the Nighthawks and take the box. A few Nighthawks chased after him, but he never through residential houses and buildings to evade them. They did not seem to have any overly powerful mystical item. Either they were misled by divination and sent them with the group that went to investigate the fire, or they weren't that useful in a chase.

Unexpectedly, other than the Nighthawks, there was another group of people who also attacked him. They were mostly ordinary persons or low level Beyonders though. Fortunately, Alvin had overprepared for an eventual chase and had plenty of means to evade their chases. He killed a few ordinary people with his good shooting skills to scare most of them off, and steered some Beyonders towards the Nighthawks, and gave the rest of them the slip. He was cornered by a few Beyonders at one point in time, but he quickly killed 2 with the offensive mystical item he acquired by chance and managed to break out. Then, he ran triggered more traps and decoys, in the form of people who were paid by him previously to run around in the night, multiple fires he set along some routes that had a small passage through doused with water that only he knew of, and abandoned houses filled explosives. Using all these means, he eventually managed to evade all his pursuers. He then successfully left the small town through a secret route he had prepared, and escaped into the populous Backlund, where he was confident in hiding.

He then went to a safe house near Heirländ Cathedral and started counting his gains.

He had spent over a thousand pounds on explosives, bribes, and traps. He had also exposed many of the ruffians in the town who would be undoubtedly caught by the Nighthawks or the mysterious group that attacked him. All the connections and familiarity with the town would be moot now that it was going to be combed by them.

As for the gains, he managed to get the apparently valuable red box. He had fiddled with it for a while, but was unable to open it. He has also gotten the missing main material for the Hunter Sequence due to the actions of a Beyonder in the excursion. He had acquired the formula for Hunter quite a while ago, but was unable to find the second main ingredient, the Crimson Wolf's core despite searching for it extensively in Backlund. The Beyonder had sneakily hidden a Crimson Wolf's core just after he acquired it, but Alvin spotted him and got it with the help of the Forgotten Cloak.

After Alvin reached the safehouse, he decided to rest for a while and contemplate all his actions tonight and summarize his experiences, a habit he had gotten from his father, who used to do the same after every significant action.

But he unknowingly fell asleep due to some reason. But the offensive mystical item he had with him carried a condition to be met within 6 hours after its use, and on failing to do so would have some serious consequences. Normally it wouldn't be a problem, as he could easily resolve it after some time. But he fell asleep due to some reason, and thus failed to fulfil the condition for its safe use, and was subjected to the backlash by it.

This had led to the death of the original Alvin Hans, which led to the current Alvin Hans taking his place.

"The Beyonders whom I killed had great strength and amazing flexibility. They also could have in the shadows and poisoned their daggers and tire to go in for fatal shots. Their leader was causing ordinary people to block my way and interfere with me. So the Beyonders should be Assassins and an Instigator from the Demoness Pathway. Could they be from the Demoness Sect or its front, the Theosophy Order?" though Alvin.

The only theory he could come up with for his unexplained sleep was that he was affected by a Beyonder from the Demoness Pathway, or a corresponding mystical item. He leaned more towards the mystical item explanation, because a Sequence 7 Witch could easily subdue him. If the chase had continued, he probably would have fallen asleep and been caught eventually.

Alvin now seemed fine, and both the backlash from the mystical item and the sleepiness that affected him was gone. Alvin felt better than ever.

"I should probably go back and meet Cheryl. She is probably worried about me. And with the Crimson Wolf' core, had everything he needed to become a Beyonder of the Hunter Pathway.

" So will I become a Hunter? Or something else?" thought Alvin as he packed his stuff and erased his traces.

He had the Sequence 9 formulas for the Seer Potion , Hunter Potion, Warrior Potion, Mystery Pryer and Planter Potion.

Alvin originally excluded the Seer Potion, Mystery Pryer and Planter Potion as they did not have any combat prowess. He was undecided between the Hunter Potion and Warrior Potion. Both of them had powerful combat abilities, and he previously had one of the main ingredients for both. Now he had both the ingredients for the Hunter Pathway.

"The Hunter Pathway is more suitable for me. The patience and trickery cultivated since childhood can go a long way to help me during the digestion of the potion. Plus, I have all the materials and can ascend tonight.

Also, if become a Warrior, I will have to deal with the God of Combat, and eventually the Evernight Goddess, two Gods, to have the possibility to ascend to become a God. But the Hunter Pathway has no true God. Hence, I have a chance to become a God this way" thought Alvin.

"Alright. I have decided. I will become a Hunter tonight" he thought determinedly, as he went up to a house in Sherwood Borough and went inside.

"Cheryl" he called out to the young woman dozing off by the table.

The girl opened her eyes and looked at Alvin, and then leapt into his arms. Alvin could still see the tear stains near her eyes.

"Where were you? I was so worried. I heard from some informants that the fight happened there, and many people were killed. There was no news from you, and I almost assumed the worst!" sobbed Cheryl.