(May 15, 2026 – 6:54 PM)
Adam walked further into the training hall, his eyes calmly scanning the hunters around him. Every movement, every interaction, every technique was valuable information.
Though his presence drew some attention, it was more out of curiosity than hostility. A new face with no mana signature was noticeable in a place like this, but no one paid him too much mind. They were too focused on their training.
[Marie is approaching.]
Awà's voice cut through his observations, prompting him to shift his gaze toward the entrance.
Marie walked in, her usual confident stride unchanged, but she wasn't alone.
Beside her, a kid no older than 11 walked with her, his small hand in hers. He had dark brown hair, sharp eyes filled with caution, and a permanent frown. His posture was guarded, his free hand tucked into his jacket pocket. Even from a distance, Adam could tell the kid was sizing up everyone in the room.
As they got closer, Marie's eyes flicked toward him.
"So," she said casually, glancing around the training hall before settling her gaze on Adam again. "Like what you see?"
Adam met her gaze in a neutral expression. "If you mean the sight of sweaty, smelly men, not particularly."
Marie raised an eyebrow before snorting. "There aren't only men here, genius." She tilted her head slightly, subtly gesturing toward a group of female hunters practicing with weapons.
Adam followed her gaze, then gave a small nod. "Fair enough."
His attention then shifted to the kid beside her. He crouched slightly to be on eye level and extended his hand for a handshake.
"And who's this?"
The boy stared at the offered hand, unmoving. His frown deepened, and for a moment, it seemed like he would ignore Adam entirely.
Then, without warning-
[Host, incoming attack.]
Awà's voice rang out in his mind just as the kid moved.
A swift, ruthless kick, aimed directly at Adam's crotch.
Pam!
Even though it was light, for Adam, it wasn't light at all.
His entire body tensed, his face drained of color, and a sharp, violent cough escaped his lips as he clutched his lower half and collapsed onto his knees.
"Wh-" His voice came out in a pained wheeze as he struggled to process what just happened. "Why…?"
The boy, Akuma, crossed his arms and huffed.
"This is what you deserve for talking to Marie."
Marie blinked, then her expression twisted into a glare as she crouched beside Adam. "Adam? Hey, you good?"
Akuma's eyes widened slightly at the use of Adam's name, but he quickly masked it, turning his head away.
Marie's glare sharpened as she turned to the kid. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Akuma huffed again, refusing to meet her gaze.
Marie sighed in frustration before looking around the training hall.
"Oi!" she called out. "Get me a healer, now!"
A nearby Support Hunter rushed over as Adam remained on the ground, clutching his dignity while his nonchalant aura just got washed away.
....
(7:09 PM)
The three walked along the private park of the Hunter Association branch, the quiet atmosphere contrasting with the earlier commotion inside the training hall.
Adam walked on Marie's right, his hands in his pockets, while Akuma walked on her left, his eyes occasionally glancing at Adam with suspicion. Adam, in turn, kept him in his peripheral vision, not out of wariness, but because he wasn't excited to take another surprise attack.
Marie sighed and glanced at Adam. "Sorry about the kid. He doesn't trust strangers."
Adam tilted his head slightly. "That's understandable. But it doesn't excuse the kick."
[It is due to emotional trauma.] Awà's voice chimed in his mind.
Adam mentally sighed. 'Obviously.'
Marie didn't add anything else on the matter, and instead, the conversation shifted.
"So, what do you do for a living?" she asked.
Adam glanced at her. "I'm unemployed."
Marie raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then what's your plan?"
Adam's tone remained steady. "I intend to start a business."
Marie immediately rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Tch. Every unemployed person says they're an 'entrepreneur.'"
"Failure." Akuma muttered under his breath, his arms still crossed.
Adam's eye twitched slightly, and his fingers curled into a fist for a brief moment. Without a word, he walked ahead, ignoring the two.
Marie chuckled, clearly entertained, and followed after him. "Ah~ our genius entrepreneur, what business do you want to start? If you can convince this beautiful miss, I might just sponsor you~"
Adam stopped walking. He considered her words carefully before turning to face her. His voice was calm, but his usual softness was absent.
"I plan to create a website that allows for uninterrupted, secure, and private information transfer. Along with a social media platform built on the same framework."
Marie's teasing demeanor faded. She looked at him more seriously now, her brown eyes meeting his deep black ones. Even Akuma didn't make a sarcastic remark.
Adam thought. 'This is the best first step. With this type of platform, I can gain free access to information. If strong organizations and individuals use it for secrecy, then i will just need to look and Awà will extract everything without cost.'
Marie narrowed her eyes slightly. "And how do you plan to fund this?"
"I don't need funding." Adam said simply.
Marie crossed her arms. "Oh? Then why tell me this? If you don't need sponsorship, why bother explaining your grand vision to me?"
Adam shook his head. "You're mistaken. I do need something from you."
Marie raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
"Your influence. I want your backing in the HA branch to launch the platform in Alessandria. As compensation, I'll pay you in credits."
Marie frowned slightly. "Credits? Of what?"
Adam's lips parted slightly, and his next words came without hesitation.
"My future currency."
There was a brief silence before Marie burst into laughter. "Pff, Hah! You think you can just create your own currency? That's a fool's dream."
Adam remained unshaken. "Currency only has value because people agree it has value. The only difference between a real and fake currency is adoption."
Marie's laughter slowed as she observed his calm, serious expression.
....
(7:34 PM)
Adam stepped into his temporary room, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click. The dim light overhead cast long shadows across the plain walls.
But Marie's words still lingered in his mind.
"I can't just support you for some imaginary credits. I need to see actual facts."
He exhaled slowly. That was fair. No one believed in something that had no proof. But proof? He could create that.
Without hesitation, he pulled off his jacket, stripping out of his day clothes and changing into a simple sleeveless shirt and flexible shorts. Comfort wasn't a concern, durability was.
He made his way into the spacious shower area, ensuring the drain was clear. If he was going to do this, it was best to wash away the blood immediately.
'Awà, let's begin the specialized stretching routine.'
[Acknowledged.]
He squatted down, resting on the balls of his feet, then slowly lowered himself forward onto his hands. The moment his palms pressed against the wet floor, a sharp pull ran through his calves and thighs, tendons tightening like overextended cables.
Then came the pain.
A deep, burning sensation crawled up his legs as he forced them apart, stretching his hips far beyond what he previously could. His groin pressed closer to the cold floor, and every fiber in his muscles screamed in protest.
Something popped in his back. His spine cracked violently, shifting as his body adjusted to the unnatural angle. The pull in his core deepened, his abdominal muscles tensing sharply as they were forced to engage.
He gritted his teeth and continued.
Rolling his shoulders back, he reached behind himself, grasping his fingers together. With one sharp motion, he jerked his arms upward, his shoulder blades grinding painfully as his joints were pushed to their limit.
The tearing sensation along his chest and biceps was immediate. Muscle fibers snapped but just as quickly, the nano machines stitched them back together, stronger than before.
His breathing remained steady. No screams. No hesitation.
His ribs expanded unnaturally as he twisted his torso, feeling the strain ripple through his entire core. His ligaments stretched beyond his limits and his diaphragm compressed as though crushed under weight.
His knees bent inward, and his ankles twisted to painful angles, pressing into a position that should have ruptured tendons. His veins bulged, blood surging through pathways that struggled to keep up with the demand.
Pain laced through every inch of his body, but he remained still. He let it burn.
[Pain receptors are reaching critical threshold. Should I apply suppression?]
'No. Let it all through.'
The only way to rebuild was to break completely.
----
The web idea is a good way to gather intelligence, obviously he will not tell everything to Marie, just that he wants to make a site.
Patreon: Mr_Graythorn