After Devon traveled to school, he went straight to the Main Gate because that was the only allowed gate for students to enter. But when he arrived at the Main Gate, the guard checked his ID and didn't allow him to enter because his appearance didn't match his ID picture.

Devon explained to the guard what happened, and he mentioned that it was the effect of his Gift, which the guard immediately understood. The guard instructed his companion to accompany Devon to the Guidance Office.

Upon reaching the Guidance Office, Devon noticed a long line of different students. The guard who escorted him said that students who had undergone unusual changes after the Gift Opening were being taken to the Guidance Office. One of them was his classmate Erwin, who was standing in front of him. They didn't recognize each other due to the changes in their physical appearance, but when Erwin saw Devon's ID hanging around his neck, he became puzzled and surprised.

"Devon?!" Erwin exclaimed.

He couldn't believe it was Devon. If you looked closely, you could still make out Devon's previous appearance in his current look. It was like Devon had undergone a glow-up, but it puzzled Erwin. Could someone really have a glow-up in just one day? Even if he assumed Devon had undergone plastic surgery, there was no surgery that could heal overnight, and Devon's physique couldn't be achieved through a day's workout. The only possible explanation Erwin could think of was that it had something to do with the Gift Devon received.

Erwin thought Devon was incredibly lucky if it was because of his Gift. Having a handsome appearance and a strong physique was a dream for many guys, and Devon achieved it.

"Who are you?" Devon asked Erwin. He couldn't recognize the person in front of him because of Erwin's Gift.

Erwin introduced himself to Devon, saying, "It's me, Erwin! Your seatmate!"

Devon gave him a blank expression. He didn't recognize Erwin because Erwin looked completely different from the Erwin he knew. The person in front of him had a deeper voice and was taller than Erwin.

Seeing Devon's reaction, Erwin realized that Devon wasn't convinced by his words. So he reached into his chest, his hand passing through his body as if feeling for something inside.

Devon looked at what Erwin was doing, unable to guess his intentions. After a moment, Erwin pulled out a brown envelope. He took out his ID and parent's letter from inside the envelope as evidence to prove his identity.

"Here's my ID and Parent's Letter. I don't know if you'll believe me," Erwin tried to convince Devon.

"Do we really need a Parent's Letter?!" Devon asked because he didn't have one with him. That was his initial question instead of inquiring about what happened to his friend. This irritated Erwin a little.

"What the heck?! You didn't even ask what happened to me. I even have a cool Gift and you fucking ignore it!" Erwin said.

"I didn't bring a Parent's Letter. Do I really need it?" Devon asked.

"I don't know. My mom just made me do this, saying that I wouldn't be recognized if I entered today, hahaha, which is true." Erwin jokingly explained to Devon.

Devon remembered that one of the teachers in the school was Erwin's mother, so she would know what needed to be brought. That confirmed for Devon that a Parent's Letter was indeed required. He sighed and started asking what happened to his friend.

"So, what happened? Why do you look like that? You've changed so much. I can't recognize you," Devon said.

Erwin couldn't blame Devon for not recognizing him because his body was covered in shadows. Like he is wearing a full black bodysuit.

"This is my gift, cool right?" Erwin said.

"Why do you look like that? You resemble an unknown character in a game. Are you a mutant or something?" Devon asked.

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"Yes, I'm a mutant who can manipulate my own shadows. Let me explain. When I'm in a dark area, I become a Shadowman. My own shadow wraps around me, so if you notice, I don't have a shadow right now. But when I go to a well-lit place, my shadow descends to the ground, and I return to normal. In that state, I can't do the things I can do as a Shadow Man, but I can still retrieve items I've stored in my shadow. It's like walking with a storage warehouse in my shadow. I am still exploring its other capabilities, so I’m still in the learning process." Erwin explained.

When Devon heard about Erwin's gift for the first time, he was amazed. The ability to be a walking storage unit would undoubtedly capture the attention of logistics and courier companies. However, he couldn't help but wonder if that was the extent of Erwin's gift. Devon believed that his friend's gift held immense potential, much like his own gift, and it is fascinating when something ignites your interest and curiosity.

"What about you, Devon? What happened to you? Your appearance and posture are different now. Did you hit the gym all day? But I did go to the gym, and yet I don't have a body like that. It's not something you can achieve in just one day," Erwin said.

"I think it's also the effect of my gift. I opened a stress ball yesterday, and when I woke up this morning, this is how I looked. I don't know exactly how my gift works right now, but I think since it's a stress ball, it made my body appear stress-free," Devon explained, using it as an excuse to avoid further questions.

He didn't fully explain what was happening with his gift, but he believed it was enough of an answer for them.

"Damn, dude, you're so lucky! I bet chicks will be chasing after you, and a lot of guys will be jealous of what happened to you!" Erwin exclaimed.

"Hehehe," Devon forced a smile. Above all, he didn't want to be the center of attention or attract too much attention from people. It caused trouble, as he had experienced before. He remembered the days when his life was quiet at school until they found out he came from a wealthy family. The number of people who wanted to interact with him increased because of his wealth, and of course, there were also people who caused problems for him out of envy or because they wanted to take advantage of him. When he chose not to make friends, many people got angry, calling him arrogant or snobbish. Being a well-known person was a headache, so he told himself to avoid doing anything that would attract attention as much as possible. He needed to get through the school year smoothly. But it seemed that wouldn't happen due to the whimsical nature of fate.

Devon sighed deeply as he recalled the past. Erwin noticed and spoke up.

"But that will be a thorn in your side, especially for someone like you who wants a quiet world," Erwin said.

"Yeah, I know. But let it be. The end of the school year is near anyway," Devon said, trying to console himself.

That was the only consolation Devon could find.

************

Before Tomo and his Gift got out of the car, the driver spoke to them. It was Renzo, the leader of a team from the Barry Securities, who had been paid by the government to protect Tomo and his Gift.

"There won't be any media bothering your private life, kid, and we won't get too close to you either due to your request for privacy. But we'll be nearby, monitoring your position. If your Gift goes berserk or if you're in danger, press the button on your wristband. Don't hesitate, because we'll take responsibility if anything bad happens to you. That's why we're asking for your cooperation," Renzo explained.

"Okay, I'll cooperate, but is it really necessary to go this far? Does my Gift look like it would do something bad? It doesn't seem capable of hurting anyone," Tomo said.

Renzo chuckled at what he heard, knowing that the young man was unaware of the events happening in the world.

"Hahahaha. You have no idea, kid. Do you think the government hired us to protect you because of your Gift? Kid, your Gift is a Pleasure. It has a reputation as one of the powerful and fierce Gifts. There are many interested parties out there who don't care if they hurt you as long as they get what they want from you. It's our mission to protect you from those people," Renzo said.

Renzo turned away from the driver's seat to face Tomo directly. His expression was serious.

"And don't get too confident just because your Gift is a child. One of the characteristics of Demons is to pretend to have a good image to gain people's trust. And let me remind you that Pleasure is a Demonkin. Even if the child has small horns, it still has horns. It's better to be cautious," Renzo warned.

Renzo's reminder was quickly understood by Tomo, but he never imagined that the child with him belonged to a species that would commit heinous acts. He remembered the day of the opening when his Gift emerged from his body. He felt weak and fell to the ground, but when he got up and opened his eyes, he saw a child about five years old standing in front of him, surrounded by armed officers ready to respond to any potential threat. The atmosphere was tense, and in those moments, he became nervous and confused about what was happening. The child started crying, ran towards him, and hugged him.

When the situation calmed down, the officers told him that his Gift was a Pleasure. They explained the weight of having such a Gift and how brutal some Pleasures could be according to reports.

But Tomo couldn't help but disbelieve them because his Gift was so cute and innocent. It felt like he gained a younger brother instead of a sidekick. When his parents saw his Gift, instead of being afraid due to the news about it, they wholeheartedly accepted it as if it were their own child.

Now, Tomo and his Gift were getting out of the car. He held his Gift's hand to enter the Gate, but the child refused.

"Why, Kid?" Tomo asked, and he named his Gift Kid.

"I want a piggyback ride!! Just like Dad!" the child wished.

He remembered how his father carried Kid the whole night. His father said he missed doing the things he used to do with Tomo when he was a child.

He sighed and gave in to the child's request. He lifted the child and placed them on his shoulders.

"Wooooo!!!" Kid shouted.

Around them, he noticed that students were whispering to each other.

"They're so cute, like brothers bonding."

"Hahaha. He's carrying his sidekick, how weird."

"Isn't that a Pleasure? Maybe he already became his servant."

"I don't think so. The child's face is so innocent to do such a thing."

"Yeah! It's like he doesn't have a clue! So what you're saying is wrong."

"Oh well, have you seen a Pleasure before? That one I know is handsome and looks innocent too, but it kills people mercilessly."

"How do you know? Did you see it personally or did you just hear it from rumors?"

While walking, Tomo couldn't help but overhear the students' whispers. But he ignored them and continued walking, even though it still bothered him inside.

*Sigh*

"Is this child really that evil? This child?! Hays."