Pauli shrugged and said, "Let him have it. We aren't using it anytime soon."
Mel nodded. "OK."
Then she went on to write the text to the contact known as Riptide.
Then Pauli added, "Tell him that this is the last time we will be helping him with that. He will have to do us a favor next time he needs it. We might not have any use of it soon, but we are also not in the state to be doing favors."
Mel agreed. "That's a good idea. I'll tell him now."
She wrote another text mee and sent it to Riptide.
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Kelvin was in a good mood and was humming too. He has changed his apartment, which is nice, but it is not enough to make him hum a tune. There is only one thing that can make excited this much.
He can't get too attached to a place if it can go up in flames in a few days. The main reason he is happy is that he is going to the black market again, and this time, he has energy stones with him to buy non-human slaves with.
This means he will be getting some very powerful abilities that humans don't have access to. It makes him more excited than usual.
He decided to wear a simple t-shirt and jeans. They are simple clothes that he wouldn't mind losing in a fight or a fire or a firefight.
As he left his bedroom and entered the living room, he saw someone on TV that he recognized. It was the little blond boy that likes wearing kimonos, juggling knives, and troubling technicians.
Rewind was on the TV speaking. He was flanked by some other people Kelvin didn't recognize.
Kelvin stopped whatever he was doing to hear him out. The boy said, "I am issuing a challenge to all the villains in the city for the sake of my dead mentor. Come the day of the war, they will lose. I will finish what my mentor came to this city to do. I will make sure that justice wins and evil is banished."
Kelvin sneered. "Week little shit. Reminds me of Alina. All talk and substance."
Wrath corrected him, "He is weaker than Alina. The only thing this one can do is run."
His sneer turned into a laugh. "Right. What a lucky bastard. I wish I could run like him, though. I'm so jealous of his ability to run."
Wrath asked, "Are you going to catch him?"
He considered things and said, "No. Things are too hot right now. I shouldn't go after the omega of a powerful hero society just after the little shit challenged the whole city. I'm sure they will be ready for attacks."
"Not that they can be prepared for me, but it is still too dangerous."
Wrath nodded. "His ability will be great, though. It will guarantee your life on the foreign battlefield."
He said, "I have been considering that seriously these past few days. Playing in the destiny games means I have to hide most of what I am capable of. I can't fight to the best of my abilities for fear of being exposed. But that can't continue forever. A situation will happen where shape-shifting won't be good enough."
"Heck, it already happened in my last game. Shape-shifting was definitely not enough to deal with the Baron. More and more situations like that will happen when I play in the professional league. But unlike the situation with the Baron, I won't be able to hide my cheating. It is only a matter of time before I am exposed."
Wrath agreed, "There is also the matter of the reward reducing as competitors reduce. Sure, the difficulty will increase, which might double or triple the amount of game points you earn, but your opportunity to kill will only continue to reduce."
"But I have to warn you. While the opportunity to kill is aplenty in the foreign battlefield, the chances of dying are also immense."
He nodded. "I know that. But there is no rush to make a decision yet. Let me set up my cabal first and complete my preparations. Then I will consider signing up for an expedition for my next game."
He looked at the TV once again and said, "I might go after this little shit after the war is over. Things would have cooled down by then, and people will let their guards down."
Wrath chuckled and said, Rewind is about a year younger than you, but the way you refer to the boy is as if you're some middle-aged man talking down to an unruly teenager."
He walked away from the TV and approached the door as he asked, "Is he not an unruly teenager? I have been around him enough to know."
Wrath conceded his point. "He is an unruly teenager, but you're not a middle-aged man."
He shook his head as he opened the door and stepped out. "My crime is behaving like an adult, while his crime is behaving like a little shit. I am better off."
Wrath laughed, "Right."
Kelvin asked with mock anger, "What? You don't believe me?"
He wouldn't have minded even if Wrath didn't think he was better off than Rewind. It is because he is in too much of a good mind right now.
He left his new place and took a vehicle to one of the gates of the city. The vehicle sank visibly when he settled into it.
The driver's eyes widened in disbelief that someone that looked so small would weigh so much. But he didn't complain for fear of making him angry.
It is common knowledge that small but heavy people are packing a lot of power in their tiny bodies. So it would be wise to suspect that he is a strong super.
Kelvin was satisfied that nothing was said about his weight. The driver was also silent during the entire ride, so he didn't make him regret not hiring the AI-controlled cabs.
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AN: Bonus chapter for 50 golden tickets.