Chapter 23

[Author's note: This chapter is focused on the conversation between characters.]

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"That woman is reckless... how could she forget about her own child while releasing her killing intent?" I muttered under my breath. Though her fury was aimed solely at me, the kid was still too close. He could get caught in the crossfire.

Buzz! Buzz!

My smartwatch buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. "Did the bussy guy finally reply to me?" I glanced at the screen.

[ Taren Reisig: Sorry, I was busy, and they didn't give me any chance to look at the messages. Wait a second, and I will send you the location now. ]

Buzz! Buzz!

The watch buzzed once again. Opening the watch, I tapped the location he sent and connected to the hover bike. As I connected to the bike, a small arrow manifested above the head of the bike, showing me the way. After winding through several streets, I arrived at the destination—a nondescript store where Taren stood with his crew.

Horn! Horn!

Hearing the horn, they turned, looking in my direction, more specifically at my bike.

"Isn't that the limited edition super hoverbike everyone talks about? That one that's really hard to buy," one of them blurted, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Hard to buy? The price is so astronomical that it's impossible for us to buy."

"What's it called again?"

"It's Black Reaper, idiot."

I couldn't help but smirk a little. Yeah, that's right, be impressed.

Pointing a finger, I called out, "Taren!"

He looked around, a bit confused. "Me?"

"Yes, you, come here." As he approached me, I took off my helmet, revealing my face. He paused his steps and looked at me with his bulging eyes, which were threatening to fall down.

"Man, close your eyes now, or it will fall from the eye socket."

"H-h-how do you have that?" He stammered, shock clear on his face. His friends mirrored his expression, all wide-eyed.

"How? you ask? I brought it with my entire wealth that I got from my family when they kicked me out."

"You brought it with your entire wealth," Taren looked baffled.

I nodded my head. "After I bought this bike, I became a beggar with a luxurious bike."

"Can I ride it?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with hope.

"Absolutely not," I replied without missing a beat.

"Come on, just once, please!" he pleaded.

"No means no, Taren."

"Aren't we friends?" he pressed.

Friends... wait! "I'll... think about it," I said, a sly grin forming.

"Really?" His face lit up with excitement."

Really. But you've got to help me with something first."

"If I get to ride the bike, I'll help you with anything," he declared.

"Deal," I agreed.

"Heuh heuheuheuheu" 'wait for me, Asher.'

"…Bruhh your smile is disgusting." 'I feel like I sold my life to a devil.' (inner thought of Taren)

"Ah, one more thing," I added in a low voice. "Will they even let me in?"

"You don't have to worry about that; we could enjoy ourselves, but you have money, right?" he asked with a knowing grin.

"…I have" 

"Then there is no problem."

"…Okay"

Getting off my bike and storing it, I walked with Taren. There are four guys and one girl in his group. Upon reaching them, he introduced them to me.

He gestured at them. "This is Daniel, Alan, Jackson, and Marie."

Daniel had brown hair and brown eyes, Alan shared the same hair color but with darker, almost black eyes. Jackson sported black hair and black eyes. Marie stood out with short, pink hair, bright blue eyes. A tomboy beauty with a rebellious look, complete with multiple piercings and tattoos on her neck.

"Hi, nice to meet you. My name is—"

"We know who you are," Marie interrupted, her tone sharp. "So, do you have money?"

I blinked, taken aback by her bluntness. What's with this girl? What's with all of them? They were practically drooling at the thought.

I shot Taren a questioning glance, but he quickly avoided eye contact, giving me a sheepish thumbs-up.

'This Fucker'

"I asked if you have money. Seeing you're riding a Black Reaper hoverbike, you must be loaded," she said with a mischievous smile.

"… I have money, but I'm not loaded, so I won't be spending it on useless things."

"Haha, you have money, then let's go." With a happy smile, she hit my butt and started walking.

'The Fuck'

"Ssss sss" Taren su sued.

"Don't mind her personality; she is like that, and don't get any weird ideas too; she is not into men, which is why she is hanging out with us."

"You think I will get weird ideas?" I asked, acting irritated. 

He shook his head. "I just thought you might beat her up."

"…Seriously?"

"What are you two whispering about? Let's go," Marie shouted from ahead.

"Yeah, yeah, coming."

"Sigh"

We wandered through the city, bouncing from one store to another. Every time they saw a place that caught their eye, they'd drag me in and have me pay for something. Now, we found ourselves in a busy restaurant.

Hey Marie, did you see that girl?" Jackson asked, nodding subtly toward a table. Marie glanced over and raised an eyebrow.

"She's pretty; I'll give you that," she replied.

Jackson grinned. "Right? She keeps glancing this way. I think she's interested... in me.

"The group paused, watching the girl's movements. Sure enough, she seemed to be looking in our direction.

"See? Told you," Jackson continued confidently. "Can you get her contact info for me?"

Marie shrugged. "I could, but are you sure she's looking at you?"

"I think she's looking at me," Alan chimed in.

"No way, she's definitely looking at me," Jackson retorted.

"Did you stop looking in mirrors, Jackson?" Taren snorted.

"I'm handsome!" Jackson insisted.

"Did your mom tell you that?" Taren quipped.

"At least I'm better looking than you, you bastard!" Jackson fired back.

"Are you blind too?" Taren smirked.

I sighed, shaking my head. Every group has one guy who waits for an opportunity to roast everyone... and Taren is definitely that guy.

Marie quickly interrupted, "Cut it out, guys, she's coming over."

The group fell silent as the girl approached.

"Excuse me…" she said hesitantly. "Can I get your contact info?"

"Me?" I asked, caught off guard.

She nodded shyly. "...Yes, you."

"Uh, sure," I replied, sharing my details.

"Thank you! I'll reach out," she smiled before walking away.

The moment she was out of earshot, everyone turned to look at me and sighed collectively.

"I forgot how handsome this guy was," Jackson muttered.

"Lucky bastard," Alan grumbled.

"Why are you so damn handsome?" Taren asked, half-joking.

"Jealous?"

"Of course."

"You should be. After all, you're ugly as hell," I shot back.

"What did you say?" Taren glared.

"What? Did reality make you deaf?" I replied with a grin.

There was a moment of silence before the whole group burst into laughter.

"Now you get what we deal with," Daniel chuckled.

"Yeah, you deserve it," Alan added. 

"Feel the pain, accept the pain."

'What did he say?'

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"Why did you take so long, man?" A young man with blue hair and bright blue eyes called out, tapping his foot impatiently. He stood at the entrance of a spacious dormitory, the warm evening air brushing against his face.

A black-haired boy stepped out, looking slightly flustered. "Sorry, I couldn't decide what to wear," he apologized, adjusting the collar of his jacket.

"Seriously?" The blue-haired youth rolled his eyes. "They've been waiting for ages."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." The black-haired boy sighed. "Let's go."

They started down the narrow cobblestone path leading from the dormitory. The sounds of distant chatter and music filled the air, growing louder as they approached a small group waiting under the flickering light of a streetlamp.

A girl with raven-black hair and golden eyes immediately turned to them, her expression a mix of annoyance and amusement. "You two are late," she remarked.

"Not my fault," the blue-haired youth grumbled, pointing a thumb at his friend. "I was waiting for this guy."

"Let's just get moving," another girl interjected, her face tight with irritation. She brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and started walking toward the entrance gate.

"Yeah, let's go," the group echoed in unison. As they stepped outside, a luxurious black car floated in the air, hovering just above the ground, its sleek body reflecting the city lights.

"Whoa, is that Aiden's car?" Asher, the black-haired boy, asked, eyes widening in amazement.

"Sure is," Shreya replied, a small grin breaking her irritated expression. "Let's get in."

Inside, they found two stunning girls who looked almost identical, save for their different hair colors and slight variations in their facial features.

"Everyone here?" one of the girls, Acelia, asked, glancing around.

"Everyone except Arron," Shreya replied.

Aiden shrugged. "He's always like that. Never on time."

"Hey, nice car, Aiden," Marcus said, entering the car with a grin.

Aiden nodded. "Thanks, man."

"How much did it cost you?" Marcus asked, eyes scanning the luxurious interior.

"Around a million Acros," Aiden replied casually. Asher's jaw dropped. "That much?"

"Yeah, pretty expensive," Aiden said with a smirk.

"Are we going to chat all day or actually move?" Shreya snapped, her frustration evident. She muttered under her breath, "Why did I agree to this again?"

"Sorry, sorry," Aiden chuckled. "Alright, let's get going." He started the car, and it glided smoothly above the bustling streets. As they moved through the city, the vibrant decorations and lights illuminated the night, casting colorful patterns over the buildings.

After a while, Aiden slowed the car and glanced ahead. "We'll have to walk from here," he announced, noticing the small crowds gathering along the street.

Everyone climbed out, and the car shrank down into a miniature version, which Aiden quickly stashed into a compartment on his wristwatch. They began walking down the lively streets, taking in the festive atmosphere.

As they moved along, they noticed a growing crowd and heard excited murmurs. Curiosity piqued, they approached the crowd, weaving through the throng of people.

"What's going on?" Asher asked a bystander.

The man turned and replied, "A drawing."

"A drawing?" Asher echoed, puzzled.

"Yeah. You know Joseline Brett, right?" The man continued. Asher nodded; who didn't know her? She was a renowned artist whose paintings captured the beauty of landscapes, people, and even dangerous monsters. She was also an S+ rank hunter with a unique ability—whatever she painted, she could bring to life.

"She's drawing two kids right now."

"Really?" Lucy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'm a huge fan of hers!" Without waiting, she dashed into the crowd, pushing her way to the front.

"There she goes, fangirling again," Shreya muttered, following after her, with the rest of the group trailing behind.

When they finally reached the front, they were struck silent, their expressions shifting from curiosity to awe. In front of them, two young figures sat, leaning against each other, their hands entwined. The boy looked up at the sky with a pained smile, tears streaming down his face, yet his smile remained gentle and serene. The girl beside him wept openly, her emotions raw and unrestrained. They were dressed in simple white garments that matched their silver hair and flawless, pale skin, glowing softly in the moonlight. The entire scene was ethereal, almost otherworldly, as if they were angels who had descended to Earth.

"If there are angels," murmured a woman standing next to Asher, "it would be them."

Asher's eyes widened in recognition. "Isn't that Jadel and Seisha? Why are they together?" he asked, confused.

"No idea," Lucy replied, frowning slightly. "Seisha has always been... unpredictable and hard to understand. She does whatever she thinks is right."

Asher turned to her, surprised. "Even you can't figure her out?" Lucy, known for her sharp mind and an IQ of 190, usually reads people like open books; hearing her say she can't understand her means Seisha is not normal.

"There are some things even I can't understand," she admitted, shrugging. "I'm not omniscient, you know.But" her tone suddenly turned serious, "I'm getting a really bad feeling from her."

"Bad feeling?" Asher raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah… as if something... I can't put it into words; I know for a fact there is something more c–"

Suddenly, a loud, satisfied voice rose above the crowd. "Done!"

Joseline Brett stood up, a smile of pride on her face. "As promised, I will give you your reward," she announced, her voice carrying over the crowd.

"A reward from Joseline?" Lucy's ears perked up with excitement, a grin spreading across her face.