Marc didn't even know what it was. He found the definition and started looking. He found a book called, word for word, "The Scholar's Book". It was owned by a wealthy millionaire. A fan of books who had bought it at a high price, even though reviewers wouldn't pay more than 20 Zvennirs for it. He'd bought it on the grounds that it was probably more important than it seemed, but he couldn't work out why. The description of the book said that it only told an implausible version of the end of the world with knowledge that, however, seemed plausible. People classified it as science fiction, but many were afraid of it. Over time, however, the book fell into oblivion and disappeared from the minds of many.
"This will help me."
Yet there was an obvious problem.
"The problem is that it's impossible for me to get the book. I'll have to haggle with the millionaire and there's no way he'll agree when he bought the book so dearly."
Marc thought about how to get hold of the book. He didn't have many contacts or much money. But there was a way to get the book. He'd been in the presence of the Turcan Emperor, and in this world, that was more than enough. At least, it made him more impactful on the world. He now had a solid asset. The problem was to contact him. A millionaire certainly wasn't easy to reach, and he'd have to be convincing.
"If this guy had a vague impression of this book, surely there's a way to move him like Nathanaël moved the Emperor. Maybe he knows something?"
Marc attempted a message. A simple message containing several brief pieces of information about the other world and auras.
"It won't work."
Marc thought for a long time and finally came up with a solution that was radical, to say the least. He'd found the millionaire's address so the only thing he could do with it was go there. However, asking his parents to go there or going during school hours was not a reasonable solution. The only one that could potentially work was...
"Jin. You're coming with me."
"Where to, master?"
"Just follow me."
...to run there.
Marc and Jin set off on a journey of over 3000 kilometers. Something he could never have done before discovering the aura. Their speed made objects and people next to them completely slow. They were going much faster than airplanes. As he ran,Marc felt a wall rise before him, which he pierced through all at once. He'd broken the sound barrier and was going even faster. Jin followed his master with a broad smile. This was something he'd never experienced before. It was the very definition of speed.
In less than an hour, they reached their destination.
"Well, well, well. I'm surprised, master. You brought me here for a race."
"No. I just didn't want to do things all by myself."
"What?"
At the same time, outside the millionaire's residence. A man in a black suit came out with a gun.
"Hey who are you?"
"Let's get rid of them and then go in."
Marc knew what he was doing. It wasn't necessarily the right way. He was a little sad about it. But he had to find this book for a good cause. He was probably going to need it more than that rich guy. He looked at Jin to see if he would restrain himself before attacking.
"Good."
Obviously, Jin didn't mind. The first guard out fired a bullet at Marc, who easily dodged it. He realized as the bullet passed in front of his eyes, he hadn't just become stronger...
"How?"
...it had far surpassed human conditions.
"I'll take care of it, master."
And so did Jin. They neutralized the guards one by one as if they were simple kids. Bullets or blows, nothing could stop them. They outclassed everyone.
"Sorry, boys. But you and me, we don't live in the same world."
Marc picked up the last gun on the floor and thought.
"Maybe I should try this against them?"
Then he imagined the man in black grabbing his gun and destroying it as it went up in smoke.
"Hell nah."
The last man standing in front of them dropped his weapon in turn and took off running. Jin caught up with him, grabbed him by the collar and was about to knock him out when he received a tremendous blow in the face. Marc was surprised too. A young woman in a suit had just emerged from the millionaire's house.
"You're the ones making a mess in front of Sanchez's house."
"We don't mean him any harm."
She had black hair that she had tied back. Her costume suited her perfectly. She was particularly pretty with her almost black brown eyes and those thin lips. She lit a cigarette and began smoking in front of the two young people as if she hadn't seen what had happened.
"You can go now. It would offend me to beat up such a stylish woman."
"That's too bad, young man. I have no intention of leaving. You, on the other hand, are going to have to pay for all this mess."
The lady seemed very serene, but what surprised the two boys more was that she had a faint aura stronger than the others.
"Master?"
"You can go right ahead. Show her the difference in levels but don't break everything. We need the book."
"So it was you who contacted Sanchez about the book, hoping to pick it up. Your message was odd, he almost wanted to contact you in return."
"That would have saved us a lot of trouble."
"Yes, it would have. But now I'm afraid it's you who's lost the most."
The woman lunged at Marc, but Jin stepped in.
"It's me, your opponent."
"I don't doubt it, young man."
She launched a circular kick at Jin, who dodged easily. She followed up with a series of kicks that Jin dodged with ease.
"You look bored, young man. That's impressive. No one's held out this long against me in a long time."
She grabbed Jin's arm and pulled out a knife with the other.
"But you know..."
She tried to slash both his eyes with a short stroke, but Jin recoiled effortlessly.
"...I hate giving it my all."
Jin didn't change his gaze. The young woman laughed at this, then disappeared to reappear behind him.
"You don't change your look.
You're not afraid.
You're facing a professional.A warrior."
Jin didn't change her gaze.The young woman was indignant. Jin's contempt for her irritated her. Her movements quickened but still didn't leave a drop of sweat on Jin.This fight made no sense to him.This woman was weak. He didn't mess with the weak.
"My master was kind."
"Huh?"
"He told me to show you the difference in level when I could have finished you off with one blow."
Suddenly, with her words, the woman felt the fear that Jin embodied and her body reacted to the instant.Jin realized this and stepped back.Her eyes suddenly opened at the same time as Marc's. It wasn't her body that was frightened.It wasn't his body that had reacted.They could see it with their eyes.It was her aura. It had taken control of his body for a split second. All the energy had built up in her arm and blade and she'd sliced through the air at lightning speed without realizing it. A huge line had appeared beside Jin, who had barely dodged it. It had sliced through any trees unfortunate enough to be in the path of the cut.
"Huh?"
Jin looked at the crack in the ground perplexed. From their point of view, it was as if her rosy aura had taken control. The lady's eyes had turned pinkish-black and a sadistic smile had appeared with the blow. Her hair had floated for a long time under the effect. Then it was gone in a second. Marc and Jin didn't understand.
"You...what have you done?"
"I don't know. This hasn't happened to me in a long time. Every time I feel fear like this or I'm about to die in a fight, something like this happens."
"You use the aura?"
"The aura?"
The young lady closed her eyes. From the deepest she could remember, she'd never found an answer to her unconscious body movements when she fought. She had often hurt people. She'd even committed the irreparable act of killing someone. People had come to call her "The IGA Monster". The nickname suited her, and she accepted it. The rain began to fall as if in response to her sadness. She raised her head in the air to receive the rain's tears as if they were her own.
"What are your names, young men?"
"Marc"
"Jin"
She lowered her head and lit a cigarette. She thought back to that day when someone had reached out to her.
"Do you have a place to go?"
"No."
"Then come with me."
Her eyes wandered in the rain as if she were reliving that day.
"I'm the IGA monster. Sorry if I kill you."
She walked over to Jin and pulled out a katana and a gun.Marc and Jin looked at each other, then both let out a small laugh.
The young lady was surprised.
"Why...are you laughing?"
Marc and Jin stopped laughing, then Marc looked into the young lady's eyes. His eyes lit up in the rain and he replied with a smile.
"You're too weak to kill us."
A shot rang out and the bullet flew at Marc.
"Oh, yeah?"
But the young woman was surprised again when she saw her bullet in Marc's hand and he dropped it to the ground.
"Yes."
The woman lunged at Jin at full speed. Something had changed in her. She was no longer holding back, or rather, her aura wasn't holding back. Her smile and pink eyes were visible again. Her whole body was tarnished with an aura that seemed to have taken control. The young woman felt good, finally able to fight without fear of killing with these two other monsters.
"This is great."
She sliced through the air just above Jin, who had lowered himself, and Marc, who had stepped back. In a fraction of a second she fired three bullets at Marc, who caught them easily and kicked Jin, who also caught her.
"I've got you."
"Really?"
The young woman spun around and tried to hit Jin in the face with her foot, but to no avail. She continued to slice the air, while Jin dodged as easily as ever.Her blows didn't reach him at all, but she continued to smile. Her gun arrived at Jin's belly, who didn't seem to dodge it."
"Gotcha."
The shot rang out after Jin moved.
"Really?"
The young woman, though surprised, attempted an instant return kick that Jin also dodged.
"Taekwondo?"
"I've been taught everything."
"Who am I talking to. You or that pink freak."
"I'm the IGA monster."
Marc was silently watching the fight when suddenly his senses wised up and he looked in the direction of the problem. A man was watching them from a window in the mansion. Marc saw it and stared at it with a little aura. The person took fright and disappeared from the window.
"I don't like curious people."
Jin was still dodging the young woman's blows with ease when he heard Marc complain.
"Jin. Let's go in."
"Okay."
A blow from the katana nearly cut Jin's head off.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The young woman didn't lose her smile, but suddenly she sensed something was wrong. Jin grabbed her sword and her aura vanished as if she'd been frightened. The monster had fled the young woman's body.
"That's enough."
Jin raised his hand high to the sky. The rain stopped and the sun came out. It illuminated the ravaged combat zone and the sword marks left everywhere.Jin prepared to strike at the IGA monster while she could only watch.
"Wait."
Marc recognized the person in the window watching them.
"You're..."
"Rodrigo Sanchez. I may have what you're looking for, but please don't hurt her."
Marc told Jin to stop and he let go of the young woman's hand as she collapsed. He advanced towards the panicked millionaire and stopped in front of him. He looked him in the eye for a long time before saying...
"By the way, can we talk?"