Turning around, Stare took his time observing the frail man who stood behind him. The previous encounter with the mercenaries had prevented him from getting a clear look at the man.
Apart from his fragile appearance and expensive attire, the man had lively blue eyes and pale skin. A friendly smile adorned his face as he regarded Stare with interest, awaiting a response to his query.
"I wasn't their target from the start, so it's unlikely they'll come after me... at least for now," Stare responded after scrutinizing the situation.
The man's composed demeanor suggested he wasn't taken aback by the earlier attack. He seemed to understand why the mercenaries had targeted him. Stare was curious about the motive but decided against asking.
As he was about to continue his journey home, the man's voice broke the silence once more.
"Come to think of it, shouldn't you be at home resting or celebrating with family after becoming a Prime and gaining admission to a Hero Academy?" The man's curiosity was evident, but he was taken aback by the peculiar expression on Stare's face.
"Don't tell me you didn't pass the test?" he asked in disbelief.
Stare was growing frustrated with the persistent questioning. He couldn't admit he had left home to evade the Public Testing.
"No, it's not that... I just sort of missed the test," Stare explained while scratching his head.
"What!" The man exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"...How did someone with potential like you manage to miss the test?" he inquired, mouth still agape.
Stare shrugged, surprised by the man's exaggerated reaction.
"Well, there's nothing I can do now. I'll have to wait for the next Public Testing in a year or settle for a regular college," he replied with feigned disappointment.
"Alright, I should head home now," Stare turned to leave, but the man swiftly grasped his hand.
"There's still a solution," the frail man said, his smile returning.
An unease settled over Stare as he looked at the man before him.
"Ehm…excuse me, but who are you again?" Stare asked.
"Oh, I'm Just a guy," the man replied with a continued smile.
He reached into his pocket, producing a small corked test tube containing a bluish liquid.
Stare eyed the substance warily. "What's that?"
The man paused, looking at Stare quizzically. "What's this?" he asked back.
"...It's liquefied Algos, obviously," he responded, chuckling.
"Al…Algos?" Stare's suspicion grew, and he attempted to pull away, only to realize that the man's grip had transformed. He no longer felt frail but instead held Stare with the strength of a seasoned Prime.
Stare stared in confusion as the man's aura intensified, his blue eyes glowing brighter.
"You know, I was about to take care of those pests before you intervened. Beating them up is more enjoyable when they think they've won. I can't let someone with your potential fade away due to missing a test."
Stare trembled. He could sense the power of at least a Tier III Prime emanating from the man.
'What did I get myself into?'
Although he possessed enough experience and knowledge to defeat a Tier III prime, with his current unhoned body, those knowledge and experiences were almost useless.
It would only take a casual snap of the finger for this man to kill him.
"Fuck." Stare muttered under his breath, anxiety creeping in.
He glanced at the man with a nervous expression. "...Even if I take the Algos and become a Prime, it won't change the fact that Hero Academy registrations are closed."
The man laughed briefly, maintaining his signature smile.
"I might be just a guy, but I also have some few friends…I mean some few powerful friends, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind late registration, especially when I'm the one asking."
Stare swallowed hard, his apprehension deepening as he looked at the liquid in his hand.
He didn't want to take the Algos, fearing it would trigger the Oracle's path, but he sensed that the man wasn't giving him much choice. He knew he would be compelled to consume it, willingly or not.
"Fuck... Fuck... Fuck," Stare muttered repeatedly.
'Was this the Oracle's plan all along?' he wondered, but found no answer.
Slowly, he took the test tube from the man, removed the cork, and swallowed the contents.