Vinícius was still panting, trying to catch his breath when he cast a curious glance at Harry and then at the masked man.
"Hey... are there others like you? I mean, cultivators?" he asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm.
The masked man furrowed his brows under the mask, clearly weighing whether or not to respond. But after a few seconds of silence, he replied curtly:
"Yes. There are hidden sects. And also independent cultivators... like me."
Harry narrowed his eyes, pondering. Hidden sects? Independent cultivators? He wondered for a moment if the cultivation system Long Hai had taught him was the same one these others used. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked:
"And what are the cultivation realms?"
The masked man let out a slight sigh of impatience.
"This isn't the time or place for lectures. You're surprisingly calm to be chatting in a sewer, don't you think?" he said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Harry opened his mouth to retort but held back. Instead, he asked more pragmatically:
"So what do we do now? Do we keep going?"
The masked man approached one of the burned bodies of the demonic rats and replied:
"It's better if we get rid of the corpses, so they don't infect anyone else. From what I saw, their blood is contagious. But we haven't found the cause yet."
He knelt beside one of the cadavers and pulled from a pouch at his waist a small metallic vial with faded inscriptions. He opened it and sprinkled a dark, phosphorescent powder over the body. As soon as the powder touched the rat's remains, the corpse began to disintegrate into particles—flesh, blood, even part of the surrounding concrete.
"What is that?!" Vinícius asked, astonished.
The masked man looked up, clearly already a bit annoyed with so many questions.
"It's called Ashes of Extinction. An alchemical compound that destroys matter tainted by corrupted Qi. Very expensive. Very rare. So don't waste my time."
Harry, now more recovered, cast fireballs at the other bodies, helping to complete the purification process. He watched in silence as the flames consumed the remains of the creatures.
If this were a game... at least we'd get some loot... But real life really doesn't help, he lamented inwardly.
After the process was finished, the masked man stared at them for a moment.
"Leave. Stay out of this. Or you'll end up dead without even a grave."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward the darkness. In just a few steps, he vanished as if he had merged with the shadows.
Harry stood frozen, impressed by the concealment technique. Only after a few seconds did he turn to Vinícius.
"That was... intense."
"Intense? I almost died of a heart attack three times!" his friend grumbled, though relieved.
"Let's get out of here. Seriously. That's enough for today."
Agreeing, the two of them retraced their steps, exhausted, filthy, and emotionally drained. When they got home, they showered and collapsed into bed, sleeping straight through until noon the next day.
The following morning, still feeling the effects of the night before, they sat at the kitchen table with serious looks on their faces.
"We almost died yesterday," said Vinícius, staring at the glass of water in front of him.
"I know. We can't keep going like this. We need a plan B," Harry replied, his expression heavy. "Train more. Prepare resources. Maybe find a way to detect those monsters before it's too late."
"And understand this hidden world..." Vinícius added. "Because now it's clear: it exists. And we're in the middle of it."
Sitting at the table, exhausted, Harry and Vinícius began thinking about what they would do next.
"You know, Harry..." Vinícius said thoughtfully, "I think I need a shield. I'm not good at attacking, but I need to protect myself better. Something to block, to take the hits."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"Makes sense. I, on the other hand, want a bigger sword—like the one the supernatural guy had. That scimitar looked really sharp, with reach and speed. It'll help me deal more damage."
"True," Vinícius agreed. "But remember what he said? There are other cultivators out there. Hidden sects, and maybe some who don't want anything good for us."
Harry sighed, looking at the glass of water in front of him.
"He's right. We can't act alone, not knowing who our allies and enemies are. We need to find these other cultivators, learn from them, better understand this hidden world."
Vinícius nodded, serious.
"And be very careful. If they're already monitoring these deaths and strange cases, it's because the danger is real—and huge. We can't underestimate anyone."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of responsibility.
"Then, from now on, our goal isn't just to survive... it's to grow stronger, to learn, to prepare for what's coming."
"I agree. And let the training begin..." Vinícius said, already excited.
In the following days, Harry and Vinícius decided they could no longer act in the dark. They needed to better understand the new world they had been thrown into—the hidden sects, the independent cultivators, the threats, and, most of all, where they fit into all of it.
"Let's start by looking up anything about these groups online," Harry suggested. "Maybe there are forums, websites, or even social networks dedicated to these subjects. Something that 'cultivators' use to communicate."
Vinícius agreed, carefully opening his laptop.
Hours passed, filled with research, videos, and encrypted messages. They found nothing concrete, but some clues began to appear: reports of strange disappearances, mentions of "cultivators" and a mysterious energy called Qi, always involved in stories most people would consider mere superstition.
"I think we have to dig deeper," Vinícius said, frowning. "Beyond the internet—on the streets. Ask around, listen."
Harry nodded.
"Yeah. We need to stay alert for signs, for unusual people. Maybe the sects have some kind of front, places they use as bases, something that looks normal but hides the hidden world."
The next morning, they decided to return to university to continue their routines while trying to blend in and gather information. As soon as they entered campus, they spotted Alexander, who hadn't shown up for classes in nearly a month. He watched them from a distance, with a heavy and suspicious look.
When Harry met his gaze, Alexander made a discreet gesture, drawing his hand across his neck like a warning of something dangerous or deadly. Then he gave a strange, half-cynical smile and turned away, walking off quickly without saying a word.
Harry frowned, intrigued and a bit worried. He didn't see Luu that day and felt a pang of sadness, wondering if something had happened to his friend.
During class, while the others chatted about common topics—exams, parties, weekend plans—Harry and Vinícius stayed a bit distant, immersed in their thoughts. A light melancholy lingered in the air, a reflection of the hidden world they now knew existed and which seemed so far from the mundane reality around them.
But life went on, and over time, the melancholy gave way to a quiet determination.
After class, Harry and Vinícius left the university with their thoughts still weighing on them. The sky was already darkening, and the campus lights were starting to turn on, illuminating the empty paths.
They walked side by side through the city streets in silence, each immersed in their own plans and doubts. The city seemed calm, but to them, everything was far from peaceful.
Suddenly, blocking their path, Alexander appeared. He stood in the middle of the sidewalk, relaxed in posture, but his gaze... a cold and empty gaze, as if he were staring at a corpse.
Harry and Vinícius stopped abruptly, the feeling of unease crawling up their spines.
Alexander let out a dry, mocking laugh, breaking the heavy silence.
"Did you think you could just walk around, all chill, without anyone noticing?" — his voice was low, sharp, full of contempt.
Before they could react, Alexander snapped his fingers slowly and provocatively.
Out of nowhere, shadows emerged from nearby alleys and corners—a large group of delinquents appeared, surrounding Harry and Vinícius like wolves closing in on prey.
Alexander's eyes gleamed with a mix of malice and challenge.
"Let's see what you're made of..." he said, with a cruel smile.