Three young people were walking through the city streets, gazing up at the towering, majestic buildings. The streets were crowded, yet not with ordinary folk — every passerby radiated power. These were Awakened, those who had unlocked their supernatural strength.
David looked around, a weary thought flashing through his mind: "In two days, this nightmare will finally be over…"
They wandered for nearly the entire day until they finally entered an inn for the Awakened. Inside, dozens of people sat scattered around, and when the door creaked open, all eyes immediately turned to the trio. Yet Emma, David, and Lucy paid no attention to the stares; they simply walked in and claimed an empty table.
A waiter soon approached, and David ordered two whole roasted chickens along with lemonade for the three of them.
Unbeknownst to them, a man in a cloak had been watching all along. His gaze was fixed on Emma. Rising from his seat, he moved toward her. Reaching from behind, he stretched out his hand as though to touch her. But Emma's reflexes were swift—she caught his wrist in an iron grip, stopping him cold.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice dripping with disdain.
The man pulled back his hood and replied, "I'm simply glad to see you alive, Lady Emma."
Emma's eyes widened. "Leo?!"
"That's right, my lady. It's me."
David studied the exchange with quiet interest. He wondered who this man was, bold enough to approach Emma so directly. He knew Emma well—she would never let anyone best her, let alone humiliate her. But Leo's sudden appearance was a surprise even for him.
"May I sit with you, my lady?" Leo asked politely.
Emma's tone turned cold. "Don't ask me. Ask my companions."
That response startled Leo. The silent lady, who had always kept others at a distance, had just referred to two people as her companions.
His eyes flicked to Lucy and David. He recognized David instantly—the one who had lifted more than twenty tons and even managed to harness raw energy, if only briefly. Prodigies of that level were rare, even within the most powerful clans. And David? He wasn't from any clan at all. He hadn't joined a single organization.
"May I sit here?" Leo asked again.
Lucy nodded. "Of course, sit down."
David gave a slight nod as well.
Taking the seat beside Lucy, Leo continued, "My lady, is it true that you appeared in the Forbidden Zone?"
Emma narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?"
"It's already spreading across the city," Leo said with a faint smile. "Rumor has it three young people ended up in the Forbidden Zone."
David raised an eyebrow. "Is that really so unlikely?"
"Unlikely?" Leo shook his head. "No—it's almost impossible. Out of a hundred thousand people, perhaps a hundred fall into the Forbidden Land. Yet you were only a group of a thousand—and three of you ended up there."
"I see…" David muttered.
"So it was just bad luck?" Emma asked thoughtfully.
"Not just bad luck," Leo said gravely. "It's as if the gods themselves turned their backs on you."
"Oh, come on…" Lucy whispered.
"What a comparison," David muttered under his breath.
At that moment, words appeared in David's mind—the voice of Poseidon.
"The gods turning away? Nonsense. Had you not ended up there, I wouldn't have even taken interest in you."
Leo caught the shift in David's expression and frowned. "So, you've made a contract with Poseidon? He's one of the strongest of the Greek gods."
"No," David replied calmly. "I never made a contract with him."
"Truly?" Leo pressed.
"Yes. And what about you? Did you make one?"
"I did. I made a contract with the God of Destruction."
"I see," David said curtly.
With that, he rose to his feet, glancing at the group. "I'm going to rest. We'll continue this conversation tomorrow. Good night."
The others watched him go and answered in unison: "Good night."
David climbed the stairs to his room. Opening the door, he stepped inside. The room was dark, but the darkness felt natural to him—it was the element he had long embraced. He walked to the bed and stripped off his clothes. His chiseled frame spoke for itself: this was no longer the old David. He was stronger now. Faster. Tougher.
He skipped the bath, sank onto the bed, and fell asleep almost immediately.