The broad-shouldered young man, a little rounder than Isaac remembered, strolled across the room like he owned the place.
"Hey..." Isaac’s voice trailed as his eyes swept over him. "What the hell are they feeding you in Aeternum University? How did you get fatter?"
Peter snorted, patting his stomach with pride. "Feeding us? Please. Do you know how hard I’ve been working?"
"Working hard on filling your stomach?" Isaac jabbed without missing a beat.
"Yes," Peter said firmly. "They make us train so much that I have to do everything to make sure my baby doesn’t disappear."
He grinned and rubbed his belly like it was some sacred treasure.
Isaac shook his head and chuckled. "You haven’t changed."
The two of them hugged briefly before collapsing onto the couch.
"Forget about my stomach," Peter said, squinting at him. "How did you get so handsome all of a sudden? Do they have some secret beauty potion in the Sanctum of Masters?"
Isaac’s lips twitched. Out
of all the things Peter could ask, that was what he picked. Not the news about Isaac cutting down powerful monsters. Not about how dangerous his last mission had been.
No, it was about his looks.
"What do you mean how I got handsome? I’ve always been good looking" Isaac shot back.
"Yeah, keep telling yourself that."
"Says the guy who thinks being fat makes him good looking."
Peter leaned back and laughed. "I’ll take what I can get."
Their talk shifted to the past few weeks, catching up on the small details of life that they hadn’t shared.
Peter had been buried under the workload of Aeternum University, juggling training and studies.
That explained why his messages had slowed and why he hadn’t been around much.
Isaac filled him in on a few things as well, though he kept some details to himself.
Eventually, Peter leaned back with a mischievous look. "Soooo... how are things going between you and Alice?"
Isaac raised a brow but didn’t answer.
"You know exactly what I’m talking about. Now, spill the beans."
"What are you talking about?" Isaac asked, feigning confusion.
"You don’t know?" Peter pulled out his device. "Alright, I’ll send Alice a message right now and tell her you introduced me to your girlfriend."
Isaac shrugged. "Go ahead. I’ll probably be fine since I can explain before she explodes. But you? You’ll definitely get beaten up for a stupid joke."
Peter froze mid-motion.
"...I didn’t think about that."
He coughed, tucked his device back into his pocket, and cleared his throat. "So, you two are together now?"
"Yes," Isaac said with a nod.
"My condolences," Peter said with mock seriousness.
"Condolences your foot!"
They both laughed, the sound breaking the tension of the earlier conversation.
After a while, Isaac leaned forward, his tone shifting slightly. "So, I want you to become my Subject."
Peter didn’t answer immediately. It seemed he had a lot to say.
After organizing his words in his mind, he spoke, "Are you sure about this? I mean, I honestly have no reason to refuse.
"I’ve already been told what being a Lord’s Subject means, and it’s basically like winning the lottery.
"But what about you? You can find stronger Awakeners to be your Subjects. You’ve got better options than me. I’m only Initiate rank," Peter said.
"Just shut up and say yes. I didn’t call you here to listen to nonsense."
Peter let out a wry smile. He already had a good idea of why Isaac wanted him as a Subject.
"Isaac, I know you might feel like you owe me because of the money I lent you back in Academy, but this is—"
"Alright, I’ll tell Alice you were refusing. Don’t blame me if she gets angry," Isaac interrupted flatly.
"Wait!" Peter quickly raised his hands. "I’ll accept your offer. Just... don’t call her. I don’t want to get beaten."
"...Why would she hit you?"
Peter looked away.
Isaac narrowed his eyes.
"Something happened between you two."
"..."
"What happened. Tell me."
"So... uh, you know about your first girlfriend?" Peter asked hesitantly.
"You know about Emily?" Isaac said, surprised.
"Yes. Alice told me when she found out. She messaged me, and... well..." Peter rubbed his neck. "I laughed at her, and told her that’s what she gets for stalling for three years. She hasn’t replied since."
"..."
Isaac stared at him in silence.
"Don’t look at me like that! I was just trying to lighten the mood," Peter protested.
Isaac sighed. "Alright, I won’t call her."
"Yeah, please don’t. If she finds out I’m here, she’ll come running for revenge. You know how petty she can be."
Shaking his head, Isaac opened his Lord Profile and sent the request. Peter accepted it immediately.
[New Subject gained!]
[Total Subjects: 9/10]
Isaac closed the notification and said, "From now on, you’ll have sponsorship for your golem research. Don’t worry about money. Just focus on your work."
Peter blinked, then smiled gratefully. "Thanks. That means a lot."
Peter came from a wealthy house, well, wealthy for outer districts. But the money required for golem research was an endless hole.
He stood a moment later, dusting off his pants. "I need to head back. Classes are waiting."
The two of them shook hands firmly before Peter left, his steps echoing in the hall.
Moments later, the door opened again. Freya stepped inside.
"Welcome." Isaac greeted her with a nod. "Thanks for helping Tyr all this while."
"It’s no problem. He’s been far more help to me, than I was to him."
They spoke for a while about mundane topics before Isaac got to the topic.
"I want you to become my Subject,"
Freya tilted her head. "Why me? Is this related to my family?"
Isaac nodded.
He had found that she was rich a while ago.
The spatial ring she casually wore had been the first sign.
Later, with Professor Catherine’s help, he had learned the truth.
Freya came from a family that dominated the media sector. That kind of influence was not something Isaac could ignore.
"Since you’re in media, you should know what I want you to do," Isaac said.
Freya’s lips curled into a small smile. "I’ll be happy to serve you."
She accepted the request without hesitation.
[Quest completed. You have gained 10 Subjects.]
[Reward: Lord Emblem, 10 Silver Coins]
Isaac dismissed the notification and looked at her. Then he pulled out a crate from his spatial ring. "Take this."
Freya’s eyes widened. "Is this...?"
"EXP potions," Isaac confirmed. "Consider it a gift."
Her surprise softened into a grateful smile. "Thank you."
She left soon after, carefully carrying the crate.
Once the room was empty again, Isaac stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as the silence returned.
Just when he thought he had a moment to himself, Professor Catherine appeared.
"You handled the meetings perfectly," Professor Catherine said. "Would you like to rest first, or are you planning to start your breakthrough right away?"
"I want to do the breakthrough before anything else."
She gave a small nod, as if she had expected that answer. "Alright then."
They left the room together and headed out of the house.
A jeep was waiting outside, its engine humming softly. Isaac climbed in beside her, and soon they were on their way toward the teleportation station.
As the city streets passed by, Isaac pulled out his device and sent Alice another message.
He had already sent her several since the morning, but he still hadn’t received a reply.
He frowned at the blank screen, the little indicator showing that the message hadn’t even been opened.
It was strange.
She usually replied quickly, even if only with a short word.
Hours had gone by already, and now she wasn’t answering at all.
For a moment he wondered if she was deliberately avoiding him, though he couldn’t think of a reason why.
He sighed quietly and slipped the device back into his pocket.
"I’ll wait," he muttered under his breath.
Professor Catherine glanced at him but didn’t say anything. She kept her eyes on the road until they arrived at the teleporter.
Together they stepped into the platform, and entered the dark cloud.
In the next instant, they stepped out into the Sanctum of Masters.
The familiar halls stretched before them, pristine and filled with an air of quiet authority.
Professor Catherine led him through several corridors until they arrived at a wide chamber. The walls gleamed white, reinforced with layers of protective enchantments.
"This is where you’ll do it," she said, gesturing to the room. "Every Champion ranker who’s come through the Sanctum has used this chamber. The walls are reinforced enough to endure whatever comes out of your breakthrough. You’ll be safe here."
Isaac stepped into the center, feeling the stillness of the room. He nodded and sat down cross-legged.
Closing his eyes, he willed the process to begin.
[Beginning breakthrough to Adept rank.]
Mana churned inside him instantly, rushing through his body like a storm breaking free.
His veins burned with the intensity, and his bones seemed to hum as his entire being pushed against the barrier that held him back.
The room trembled.
Cracks spread across the reinforced walls.
The energy burst from him in waves too violent to contain.
The explosion of raw force shook the chamber, shaking loose fragments of stone.
At last, the storm calmed.
Isaac opened his eyes. His breathing was steady, and his body felt stronger than it had ever been.
A cascade of notifications appeared before his vision.
You have reached Level 11 Adept rank. Class Genetic Harvest gained.
Stat limits have been adjusted.
Strength stat has reached the limit. Title: Extreme Mountainbreaker unlocked.
Agility stat has reached the limit. Title: Extreme Needle Dancer unlocked.
Constitution stat has reached the limit. Title: Extreme Ironbound unlocked.
Mana stat has reached the limit. Title: Extreme Veilbreaker unlocked.
Isaac raised his brows. He hadn’t expected four of his stats to reach their limits at once. A grin tugged at his lips. He flexed his arms, feeling the surge of power ripple through him.
"Catch," Professor Catherine said suddenly.
He turned and snatched the vial she tossed at him. A Life Potion glimmered inside the glass.
"Drink it," she instructed. "Max your Adept rank while you’re at it."
Isaac didn’t argue. He uncorked the vial and downed the contents, feeling the potent energy spread through his system like liquid fire. His foundation was solid, but now it felt unshakable. At the same time, a new series of notifications arrived in front of his eyes.
...
Alice’s POV
The office smelled faintly of smoke and blood. Alice stood over the body slumped on the floor. Oran Fennel’s pale face was twisted in the silence of death. His once expensive suit was stained and torn.
He had been the former CEO of the Fennel Potion Company, a man who had once hired assassins to take Isaac’s life. She stared at him without emotion.
"I promised to kill you once we handled the governor," she said quietly. Her voice was cold, carrying no hesitation.
The promise had been fulfilled.
Behind her, the sharp sound of footsteps echoed, followed by the clicking of heels. A familiar figure appeared, walking casually into the office. Professor Catherine.
She looked down at the corpse with a smile, though her eyes held no pity for it. "Your healing ability is good for torturing people."
Alice’s eyes didn’t move from the body. "I don’t like torturing anyone."
"Funny thing to say," Catherine replied. She tilted her head slightly, as if amused. "Especially after doing that."
She stepped forward, heels clicking against the floor, and walked past Alice without pause. Reaching the desk, she sat in the office chair and leaned back comfortably. Pulling out a cigar, she lit it, the smoke curling into the air as she took a slow breath.
"Isaac is looking for you," Catherine said finally.
"I know," Alice replied evenly. "I received his messages."
"But you didn’t reply. You didn’t even open them."
Alice stayed silent.
Catherine exhaled smoke. "Alice, do you really think you can complete the requirements for that Class in just a week? You’re aiming too high."
Alice turned her gaze toward her. "Did you tell Isaac what I’m doing?"
"I didn’t," Catherine said with a faint smile. "I keep my promises. But don’t you think this is reckless? You want to take an S-rank Class within a week just so Isaac can’t force you into choosing the SSS+ one."
"I told you already. I don’t want to serve a God."
"So, you’re not going to meet Isaac until then?"
"Yes. If he sees me now, he’ll try to stop me. He won’t let me pick the Class I want."
Catherine chuckled. "Do you really think Isaac will just leave you alone if you keep avoiding him?"
"Yes," Alice said firmly. "He will. That’s the kind of person he is. Isaac has never intruded into the private choices of others."
"Of others, maybe." Catherine’s chuckle deepened. She leaned forward slightly. "Alright then, how about we make a bet?"
Alice’s eyes narrowed. "What kind of bet?"
"If Isaac doesn’t search for you for a week, I’ll cover for you when he eventually finds out you chose an S-rank Class instead of the SSS+ one. But..." Catherine’s smile sharpened. "If he does search for you before the week is over, and finds you, then you’ll agree to take the SSS+ Class."
"I have no reason to accept your bet," Alice said. Her tone was steady. She turned toward the door. "I’m busy completing my Class requirements. I’ll take my leave."
She stopped at the threshold, glancing back briefly. "I meant what I said. I know Isaac. If I avoid him, he won’t come looking for me."
With that, she walked out.
Catherine remained in the chair. The faint curl of smoke rose from the cigar between her fingers. A smile spread slowly across her face.
"Wouldn’t search for you, huh?" she murmured. "It seems you haven’t realized it yet, Alice. Isaac is changing."
Her eyes glimmered faintly as she exhaled.
"A dragon can’t stand not having their treasure."