The purple glow from under the manhole cover pulsed like the slow heartbeat of an unknown creature. Sebastian froze at the edge of the alley, looking at the heavy cast-iron disc. His intuition, boosted by Luck, was sending alarms. This light was unlike anything he had heard about in the news.
"Not today," he whispered, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I can barely stand on my feet."
The adrenaline began to fade, leaving behind a heavy tiredness and aching muscles. Level two gave him strength, but it did not make him immortal. Sebastian knew that going into the sewers in this state would be suicide. He memorized the place, marking the landmarks with his Resonance, and began to retreat carefully.
—
The way back to the Techno-hive took more time than usual. Sebastian had to hide in the shadows three times when Aegis patrol cars drove by. Their spotlights cut through the darkness of the alleys, looking for looters or unregistered Awakened. Now that he had officially become a hunter, meeting them could end in an immediate "draft" into service or a fine that he and his mother could not pay in a lifetime.
He climbed to the twelfth floor on foot. The stairs seemed endless, but every step was a reminder of his new Strength. He breathed less heavily now, and his steps were much quieter.
The apartment was silent. His mother was still asleep, curled up under an old blanket. Sebastian walked carefully to the bathroom, trying not to make any noise. He took off his blood-stained jacket and began to wash his knife. The dark liquid flowed into the sink, reminding him that today he had taken a life for the first time.
He looked at his reflection in the cracked mirror. His gaze had changed. The confusion of an unemployed young man who did not know how to survive until tomorrow was gone. Now there was something sharp and cold in his eyes.
"This is only the beginning," he thought as he lay down on his bed.
Before falling asleep, Sebastian called up the status window one more time. The numbers calmed him down. He felt the new energy circulating in his body, strengthening his tissues and preparing him for tomorrow. The purple light from the sewer was still in his mind, but now it did not cause fear. Only cold calculation.
He closed his eyes, and a heavy, dreamless sleep covered him instantly. The next day, Heloplex would meet a completely different Sebastian.