Chapter 10, Part 1– The Shopping Trip Gone Wrong
The car modifications were definitely going to take time.
Which was fine.
If I was going to have a military-grade beast as my personal ride, I wanted it perfectly customized. No half-measures.
That meant I had some time to kill.
"You will need special things for training," Solace suddenly said.
I frowned. "Training?"
"Yes. You're evolving. You need the right resources."
That sounded important.
But what was more important?
My mansion was empty.
No food. No furniture. No appliances.
Just a big luxurious space with absolutely nothing in it.
So, I figured, why not take care of both things at once?
"Fine," I muttered. "Let's head to the shopping center."
The Walk of Judgement
Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to walk there.
Big mistake.
Not because of the distance. No, that was fine.
The problem was the people.
Specifically, the way they stared.
Not at me, though.
At Raven.
You'd think they had just seen a plague incarnate.
Some looked confused. Others looked outright disgusted.
Why?
Because my adorable little falcon happened to be featherless.
Apparently, a bird without feathers was an abomination in their eyes.
I ignored them.
Raven was my family now. And unlike these random people, he didn't judge me for carrying a semi-illegal military vehicle in my name.
So, yeah. Screw them.
I walked straight ahead, unfazed, while Raven nestled in my hand, watching the world with his sharp, beady eyes.
Eventually, I reached the shopping center.
The Ultimate Shopping Spree
Step one: Buy everything necessary to survive.
That meant food, furniture, appliances—everything.
Because, let's be real, I couldn't just live in an empty mansion with nothing but empty rooms and regrets.
Electronics First
I headed straight for the electronics section.
Since my kitchen was huge, I bought two large fridges.
One for regular food. The other for… whatever else I needed.
Then, I grabbed a microwave, an oven, a ridiculous number of utensils, and a high-end coffee machine.
Not that I drank coffee.
But it felt necessary.
Food Comes Next
Now, onto the essentials.
I loved potatoes.
So, naturally, I bought an entire cart full of them.
Then I grabbed a bunch of other vegetables, mostly to pretend I had a balanced diet.
Oh, and yogurt and cheese.
I really liked those, too.
Solace, watching from the depths of my mind, sighed.
"You do realize you eat like a broke college student, right?"
"I have a mansion and an illegal military vehicle. I think I can afford to eat like this."
He didn't argue.
Because I was right.
Furniture – The Real Challenge
Now, time to make my mansion actually livable.
I was heading toward the furniture section when—
Everything went to hell.
Surprise Attack – But Not Really
I felt it before I saw it.
That subtle shift in the air. The unnatural tension creeping up my spine.
Something was wrong.
Then, I noticed them.
Thirty to forty men.
All dressed inconspicuously. Too inconspicuously.
A group that size? Acting like they weren't following me? Yeah, obvious as hell.
They were waiting.
But they wouldn't strike in a crowded space.
I kept walking, pretending not to notice.
No need to rush things.
Let them make the first move.
The Unexpected Encounter
As I reached the furniture section, an employee approached me.
A regular guy in a uniform.
"Welcome, sir. What are you looking for? I can assist you."
Seemed normal.
Until—
"He's not normal," Fang suddenly said. "He uses Compatibility. I can sense it."
I tensed.
That changed things.
This guy wasn't part of the group after me.
If he was, he wouldn't have approached me so openly.
I decided to test him.
"When did you awaken it?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.
The guy froze.
His entire body went rigid. His eyes widened.
Bingo.
He had no idea that I knew.
A Quick Conversation
"I… last night," he admitted hesitantly.
His hands clenched. He was on guard now.
I raised a hand. "Relax. I'm not an enemy."
He didn't lower his defenses. But he listened.
"I just want to know how it awakened," I said. "What changed?"
The man hesitated before answering.
"My brain started working faster," he muttered. "I could think faster. Process information in seconds. Multiple math solutions at once. My body reacted quicker, too."
Interesting.
"So, you're a mind-type user?" I guessed.
"Not exactly," he said. "I don't have psychic powers or anything. But my mind itself works better now, and that lets me fight more efficiently."
Huh.
Sounded like a hybrid-type ability—one that enhanced cognition and physicality together.
I needed to test something.
"What's your profession?" I asked.
"…I was a butler."
That explained it.
His Compatibility had likely awakened based on his experiences—efficiency, rapid thinking, multitasking.
And now, his brain and reflexes were on overdrive.
I smirked.
"Want a job?"
The guy blinked.
"What?"
"You were a butler, right?" I said. "I need one. Don't worry about money—I'll pay well. And I'll even help you understand Compatibility properly."
The man hesitated.
"…What's Compatibility?"
"I'll explain later," I said. "Right now, we have bigger problems."
The Wolves Get Impatient
The group tailing me?
Yeah, they were done waiting.
I could feel it.
The predatory focus shifting in my direction.
They were going to make a move soon.
Which meant I had to set the battlefield.
I glanced at the butler.
"Listen carefully," I said. "I need to take care of something. When I go into the bathroom, make sure no normal civilians enter. Just say it's under maintenance or something."
He frowned but nodded.
"Got it."
I exhaled, adjusting Raven in my hand.
Then, with deliberate steps, I made my way to the bathroom.
Time to deal with this mess.
To be continued.
Chapter 10, Part 2 – A Wet and Bloody Fight
Now, I know what you're thinking.
"Arthur, how are you going to fight 30-40 people alone as a kid?"
Well, first of all, rude. Second of all, let me remind you that while I did awaken just a week ago, I'm still an awakened. Not to mention, I've been training—or at least trying—to get a handle on Recovery. So, while I might not be an overpowered protagonist just yet, I've got some tricks up my sleeve.
That being said… yeah, even with all that, 30-40 people is a lot. But, you see, there's a simple trick to dealing with overwhelming numbers: you never fight all of them at once.
At most, I'd have to deal with four people at a time—because no matter how many idiots are out for my head, there are only so many angles they can attack from. Simple geometry.
Besides, in their minds, I was just some child assassin trained from birth. A dangerous opponent, sure, but also small, inexperienced, and probably running on sheer survival instincts. That gave me an edge—I just had to use my brain.
And I did.
The Fight Begins
The moment I stepped inside, they lunged at me.
Not even a second to breathe. No villain monologue. Just straight-up murder mode.
But I had already planned for that.
I kicked open all the water pipes, sending jets of water gushing across the bathroom floor. Within seconds, the entire area was soaked.
See, coordination is key when fighting in a group. You need proper footing, clear communication, and an understanding of where your allies are. And now? That was significantly harder.
The first four guys came at me with knives.
A bad move on their part. Knives are deadly, sure, but only if you know how to use them. Otherwise, you're just as likely to slice up your own team. And these guys? They were not on the same page.
The first stab came straight for me—I dodged, grabbed his arm, and swung him around like a helicopter blade.
His friends immediately stumbled back to avoid getting sliced. I took the opportunity to stomp down hard, splashing cold water all over them.
Now, if you've ever worn wet clothes, you know how annoying they are. The fabric sticks, the weight slows you down, and—most importantly—it makes every movement feel sluggish and clumsy.
Unfortunately, these guys were too skilled to be thrown off completely.
They recovered quickly and adjusted.
Damn professionals.
Another guy lunged at me—I sidestepped and yanked his wrist hard, stealing his knife in the process.
The next part? Brutal.
I didn't have time to be fancy, so I did the fastest thing possible. I stabbed him—hard.
The blade sank deep. Blood gushed out, painting my already-soaked surroundings with bright red streaks.
That's when I realized I was getting tired.
Sure, I'd awakened. Sure, I had Recovery. But at the end of the day, I was still a kid. My stamina wasn't infinite.
But I couldn't stop now.
Not when I was in the middle of a life-or-death situation.
So, I did something… well, desperate.
I grabbed the guy's heart—or at least, where his heart used to be—and smashed it into the nearest person's face.
Blood splattered everywhere. Into their eyes. Their noses. Their mouths.
They recoiled—disoriented, disgusted, and momentarily blind.
I didn't wait for them to recover.
I ran.
Escape & The Butler's Panic
I burst out of the bathroom, grabbed the butler—who looked very confused—and said, "Run for your life."
He hesitated for exactly one second before his survival instincts kicked in.
We sprinted out of the shopping center like our lives depended on it. (Because, well, they did.)
Now, you might be wondering: "Arthur, how did they even know the butler was with you?"
And to that, I say: They didn't.
They had no clue. But because of my dumb mistake, I just told them.
Oops.
Oh well. What's done is done.
We kept running, weaving through the streets, dodging pedestrians, ignoring the judgmental looks at my blood-soaked clothes.
Eventually, we found a taxi.
The driver took one look at me, at the butler, at my red-stained shirt, and made the very smart decision not to ask questions.
He just said, "Where to?"
I told him to take us to the city's edge, about an hour away from my house.
And he did.
Back Home & A Much-Needed Explanation
By the time we got back, all the furniture, food, and resources had already been delivered.
I stood in the doorway, breathing heavily, taking in the sight of my fully stocked mansion.
I was alive.
I was rich.
And for once, I wasn't being chased.
That was a win in my book.
The butler, on the other hand, was not as chill about the situation.
His patience finally snapped.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" he demanded.
So, I explained everything.
But, uh… let's skip that part.
(Trust me, you don't want to hear another long-winded exposition dump. Just imagine a lot of shocked expressions, stuttering, and dramatic gasps.)
Cooking Time – Budget Recipe for Survivors
Now that everything was settled, I told the butler to put the supplies where they belonged.
Meanwhile, I decided to cook something.
Yes, you heard that right.
After everything that just happened, my first thought was: "Let's make a budget-friendly, delicious meal."
If you're not interested, feel free to skip this section.
But if you are, let me teach you how to make one of the best, cheapest, and most survival-friendly meals ever.
Golden Fried Potato Patties with Yogurt & Cheese
Ingredients:
4-5 medium-sized potatoes per person (or 1-2 large ones)
Spices & salt (according to taste)
Corn flour or bread crumbs (for crispiness)
Yogurt
Cheese
Instructions:
1. Boil the potatoes until they're soft and mashable.
2. Mash them up—smooth and creamy is the goal.
3. Add spices and salt—adjust according to your taste.
4. Mix in corn flour or bread crumbs for extra crispiness.
5. Shape them into patties and fry until golden brown.
6. Take a cup of yogurt, mix in a little salt for extra flavor.
7. Plate the patties, pour yogurt over them, and sprinkle cheese on top.
And there you have it.
An easy, delicious, and budget-friendly meal—perfect for any situation.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to stuff my face and pretend I didn't almost die today.