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"Draco, what the hell is wrong with you? You literally scared the hell out of me!" Blum shouted, trying to calm himself down.
"Yeah, you sounded like the Grim Reaper. I thought someone was going to take my life," Ming said, sweat dripping from his head.
"Draco, you're just arriving now. Aren't you afraid of missing the opportunity to awaken your talent?" Rose said gruffly, looking at the young man who was adjusting his glasses. He was a tall, skinny young man with black hair, wearing a plain purple top, black jeans, and black sandals. His star-like black eyes were attractive, even behind glasses.
Draco chuckled, seeing their fear and Rose's question. "I was busy doing something, and you guys don't need to fear; this is called training, so that you wouldn't be afraid of the Volkoids when you see them."
"What kind of training is that? One that would break my fragile heart? What you did right now could give someone a heart attack," Blum said, losing his composure and showing how afraid he was.
"Blum, calm down. It's just a prank," Ming said, trying to calm his friend down.
"But Draco, I would say this: you should stop this pranking," Ming added.
Draco was confused by this, wondering if his voice sounded like the Grim Reaper. Looking at Rose, he saw she too agreed with them.
"Okay, I've heard you," he said, shrugging his head
"I wonder why you have an intimidating name and aura, but your figure doesn't back it up," Blum said, shaking his head as he looked at Draco's skinny frame
"Do you think it's my fault? You guys know my background. I'm just lucky to be here and achieve my dreams," Draco muttered, unconcerned by Blum's words.
When they heard this, their expressions fell. Draco's background was why he didn't want to join their circle.
He was an orphan who lived in the slum, bullied day and night by those who found his appearance frustrating or annoying. He had never experienced the care and love of having parents. He had to steal food to survive. This was Draco's life, which made him to what he was now.
Even though Cerulean had experienced its awakening, human nature had never changed. "What about Bubble?" Rose asked, her eyes shining as she tried to change the subject.
"You know he doesn't like you, so why do you pester him so much?" Ming said to Rose.
"What? Who told you that he doesn't like me? Such a cute fellow would surely like me," Rose said, her temper flaring as her expression changed from cute to fierce.
_Only you are oblivious to that_, the boys thought.
"So, where is he?" Rose asked, not giving up without seeing Bubble.
"He's here," Draco said, raising his hand to point to a silvery-white bracelet.
When they saw where Draco was pointing, they were confused. "Bubble, stop teasing them. Just come out!" Draco said, his hand soothing the bracelet.
Suddenly, the bracelet loosened, and a silvery-white creature emerged, its eyes sparkling with intelligence as it hissed. The creature had features like a snake, but it looked slimy and cute. Rose bounced up to Draco, shouting "Bubble!" Bubble, seeing its nemesis, slithered into Draco's clothes. Ming and Blum felt like laughing. It was clear that Bubble didn't like Rose, but she refused to admit it.
"If you dare laugh, I'll rip you both naked," Rose threatened, and the boys sealed their mouths, not wanting to provoke her further.
"Bubble, don't you want to see your big sister Rose?" She said childishly, tears threatening to drop from her eyes.
Bubble slithered out, standing on Draco's head. Its eyes reflected that it was no ordinary beast; its wisdom and intelligence surpassed that of humans.
Rose, who saw Bubble, smiled, stretching out her hands forward, hoping Bubble would heed her call. Luckily, Bubble didn't disappoint, slithering toward her hands.
As soon as Bubble reached her hand, her expression was that of someone holding something dear, like a second life. Laughter never stopped coming from her mouth.
The boys felt their hearts beating fast; her laughter was as radiant as the sun. Only Draco kept his composure, watching this peaceful scene. Bubble was a Volkoid of unknown origin, one he had met during his childhood - a memory he would never forget.
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"Hey, stop that little thief for me!" a raging voice sounded, startling everyone who peeked at the scene.
A six-year-old boy could be seen running as if assassins were after him. Behind him was a fat middle-aged man holding a long stick, chasing the little thief.
If one looked at the environment, the malnourished bodies of the residents revealed that this was a slum. They all just watched, preferring to preserve their energy rather than meddle in something that didn't concern them.
"You little brat! Don't let me catch you, or you're dead meat!" The fat middle-aged man shouted, losing sight of the young boy.
In a trashy place, the rotten smell was strong enough to make one faint. The boy who was chased could be seen sitting beside a wastebin, his tattered clothes revealing what he had endured.
Taking a small loaf of bread from his tattered cloth, he looked at the bread like a treasure from heaven. With saliva dripping from his mouth, he tasted this heavenly bread, his mind soaring to the ninth heaven.
If anyone saw his expression, they would feel pity for him. A bread of low value excited this boy as if he were eating a meal worth destroying the planet for. Such a poor boy!
Hiss! A sound woke the young boy from his reverie, his guard up, ready to run from any upcoming danger. Until a tiny, slithering, silvery-white snake revealed itself, looking at the young boy like a gem.
But the young boy thought the beast was eyeing his food (bread). Hiding his food, he distanced himself from the snake, even though he felt no danger, munching his bread silently. "This is mine! I fought for it, and you're getting nothing," the young boy muttered, threatening the snake as if it were human.
As the boy watched the snake looking intently at him, he couldn't take it anymore. Splitting a small piece of bread from the loaf, he stretched out his hand. "Take, this is your share." The snake looked at the young boy warily, amused by what was happening.
Slithering towards the young boy's hand, the snake took a piece, its eyes shining like stars, as it hurriedly devoured the whole piece of bread. The boy laughed at this comical scene. "You sure are a foodie."
Giving the snake the remaining bread in his hand, the boy left the scene happily. As he walked, he suddenly looked back and saw the snake still following him. "Why are you still following me? Are you still hungry? Because I have no bread with me again," he said, spreading out his hands.
But the snake slithered towards him, using its head to touch the boy's bare feet. "You want to follow me," he asked, able to guess the snake's intent. The snake nodded its small head, slithering towards the boy's head, its silver eyes shining like diamonds.
The boy fell into deep thought, thinking of the consequences of accepting this Volkoid beast. But when he saw the snake's eyes, which had slithered to his hand, his pure heart couldn't resist the snake's pleading eyes. "Okay, you will follow me from here... Also, your name will be Bubble from today."
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"Bubble was more than a brother to him; he was like a second life." He wondered how life would be without Bubble.
"The crowd is converging. It looks like the instructor is here," Blum said, interrupting the happy moment.
"What talent are you expecting?" Ming asked his friend.
"I'm expecting no less than a B-grade talent, or I would be chased out of my house," Blum replied with a sullen face.
"What about you, Draco?" Ming didn't give up on asking him.
"Me... I'm okay with any talent that brings food and lets me live a happy lifestyle," Draco said, falling into a deep thought.
When Blum and Ming heard his words, they laughed. Meanwhile, Draco scratched his head, confused by what he said that made them laugh.
"Hey, aren't you guys coming?" Rose's voice startled them, as she was already in the midst of the crowd, shouting their names.
"Let's go join her." The boys went, as they walked closer to the crowd, a strange feeling settled over them, like the calm before storm.