The room was still in a rather confused mood when Arthur sat in the armchair as if nothing had happened. Despite almost picking a fight with Gabriel now, he didn't mind a bit. In exchange for a brutal laceration of his muscles later, he could flee if he wanted to anyway. And it's not like he really wants to fight.
He was being pretty honest with Gabriel now. He considered him a friend. He didn't have a problem if Gabriel was doing it for some interest or goal, as it still helped him anyway. No one approaches other people without the interest of having something first.
The only thing Arthur hated was Gabriel's sense of superiority, which was barely acceptable, but rather annoying.
Gabriel looked deeply into Arthur's eyes at that moment. The words he said in a low voice were still ringing in hos ear and mind. He was thinking what Arthur might have gone through to speak those words to him.
"Everything is fine. Your argument is fair and I can't say any more. But it's going to be pretty expensive!" Gabriel shrugged his shoulders slightly, as if it was a silly subject. But Arthur understood that he was just saying that to keep that conversation between them.
"How expensive?"
"8 to 10 million, if you want everything beautiful and with good settings. I have some contacts that can get you that easy, although some can't ride in the city. Collecting?" Gabriel spoke as he read the list.
"Do the best you can. With street racing configurations for the sports ones, and the others can be deluxe configurations. And they're not for collecting."
"Okay. I think in about 1 month they can be ready. Do you want them delivered to your house?"
"Yes may be. But changing the subject now, why did you say I'm sick? She'll be able to hear it, right?" Arthur asked his doubt. He only avoided it before so he could help this fellow in need. He also pointed at Janice, who had already returned to the table.
"No problems. And you should already know about your illness, as it seems to be under control. I can't tell you what it is, but it sure isn't healthy."
"What did you do at that time? I'm kind of new to these things, you know?" Arthur asked as he crossed his legs and leaned deeper into the chair.
"You can call it spiritual energy. Ever heard of an eastern term called Cultivator?" Gabriel said, doing the same thing as Arthur.
"Like the rice and potato growers? Yes, I've heard. I'm kidding, of course I know what you're talking about. Does this kind of thing exist too? It even looks like I'm in a novel just like them, my God."
"Since you know, then it becomes easier to learn. All human beings were able to cultivate and become a species of human with powers. But, ever since humanity evolved to use the brain instead of the body, this existence called Cultivator has started to atrophy. But then, since the New Age, born humans have awakened that potential again. Only very few people manage to cultivate as it is a lost heritage now."
"New Age? Are you talking about the period when there was a population increase? I heard it was from a vaccine or something." Arthur asked as his brow creased at the new information.
"Yes, this is precisely the age we are in. I can't tell you much about it, but it wasn't just the food sector that developed..." Gabriel spoke in a somewhat mysterious tone.
"If you don't want to tell, don't, damn it. Are you just going to make me curious?" Arthur got a little angry. He was really curious to know what it was.
"Yes, I'll make you curious. But it won't be for long. You will eventually find out."
Arthur snorted and didn't respond. Despite not having much information, he understood more or less what Gabriel meant. He was some kind of cultivator, and if it was like the novels, with energy absorption and all, they would be almost the same. But he still didn't know what the difference was between the two of them completely.
"Don't you have anything else to say? Right then. I still have something else to work out with you Monday. Now is not the right time yet." Arthur had already gotten up to leave. He was still going to spend the rest of the night training.
"When I asked if you were sick, I didn't mean just what was inside you. I suggest you relax a little in your training, or else something might go wrong. Haste is the enemy of perfection. Relaxation and rest are as essential as the training itself." Gabriel clapped Arthur on the shoulder as he said goodbye.
With the door closed behind him. Arthur wiped a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth and headed home.
'One day I'm going to give that bastard a beating!' Through gritted teeth, Arthur finally walked away. But before he went, he suddenly felt something piercing his back and turned around. But there was nothing there. He figured it was a holdover from what Gabriel had just done and let it go.
"It can't be like this... you hurt my kitten..." A voice came from the top of the Guild building.
***
"Why did you do this to him?" Janice asked as she sat down next to Gabriel.
"The shock? I think he was very focused on training so I showed him how fragile his body was. I don't know what crazy method he's practicing, but I know he's not resting. Why the question? Didn't like what I did?" Gabriel asked with an ambiguous smile.
"As if I care about anyone else! Humph!" Janice snorted as she met Gabriel's gaze. 'That goon really is a brute!'
"You don't have to be angry. It was just a question... "Gabriel felt Janice's anger and backed away a bit. But right after he walked away, his body stopped. He remembered Arthur's words.
He mustered up the courage and walked over to Janice's table.
"Do you like me?" he asked her.
"W-why are you asking that?" Janice immediately blushed at the question. She wouldn't admit it even if she were dead. After all, they worked so hard to stay alive in this dog-bites-dog world, there was no time for that.
"What if I say I like you? Would you say you like me too?" Gabriel was already used to dealing with his problems head on. But he had already dragged this problem along for too long, and he wouldn't wait for a chaotic scene with a high chance of both of them dying to admit how he felt.
"T-That's not quite how it works, you know!" Janice got up and leaned against the table, almost climbing up. Gabriel was getting closer and closer to her, and it was making her blood rush and making her face look really cute.
"But I thought that was how it worked. And there was also this here after people declared themselves..." Gabriel brought Janice closer to him and placed her on the table. He gently threaded his fingers through her hair, sending shivers down her spine.
'Finally... after so many years...' As she felt the pleasure of being touched by her man with so much love, Janice was almost bursting with joy. She had been in love with him since they met, but she never had the courage to say it out loud to him.
Just as their lips were about to touch, Gabriel's gaze turned serious as a mass of misty shadows surrounded them and the two appeared at the end of the room.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
A large number of sharp black arrows landed where they were. They had gone through the window so perfectly that there were only small holes there. A dark purple liquid also ran from the tip, indicating that it was poisonous.
More arrows crashed through the window again, this time toward where Gabriel and Janice appeared. He held out his hand and a wind shield appeared in front of the two, preventing the arrows from passing through. But when he thought it was over, an arrow much bigger than all the others broke the entire window and flew at very high speed towards him.
Bang!
Reaching out, nimbly, Gabriel grabbed the arrow. Janice was right behind him and he couldn't take a step back. A semi-transparent barrier appeared between him and Janice as visible sound waves shot out of his hand and began to cause the arrow to vibrate and lose its power of impact. Gloves that went up to his elbows suddenly appeared and helped him hold the arrow.
Finally, after a minute, the arrow seemed to lose its energy and shattered into pieces. Gabriel's hands were completely bloodied, but the serious look on his face didn't leave the figure that suddenly appeared in the broken window for a moment.
He was a tall, slender, almost feminine man, dressed elegantly and orientally. His skin was white and well-groomed, appearing to be very soft to the touch. His long black hair reached down to his waist, and he exuded a feminine charm. If it weren't for his obvious lack of female parts, one would say he's a woman. But the most striking thing about him wasn't his clothes or hair, but his vibrant, seductive purple eyes.
"If you ever hurt my kitty again, don't expect me to be that kind..." With a soft laugh, the man backed away.