With plumes of smoke out of his nostrils, Melvin began going through the kitchen looking to find something. To his joy, he had indeed found it.

There was a metallic wide container at the edge of the kitchen. When opened, he was attacked by a wave of frosty vapor that made him shiver.

Noting how there was no electricity, he knew that there was some sort of magic involved, like his Firecaster ring. However, that device was powered by his own Mana, but this...

'Hmm...' He thought clearly intrigued, and so using his newfound powers, he easily carried the heavy container and peeked underneath it. There he found a sophisticated mechanism with copper wires, steel, and wood surrounding a Crystalized stone from where he could sense a dense amount of Mana.

'This should be the Mana Stone I've heard about.' Melvin thought, 'Damn, I've always been curious as to how it looks.'

The stone was like a transparent crystal with a rough and a slightly circular shape.

Feeling that his curiosity was satiated he put down the container and started looking for something edible inside.

To his luck, he had indeed found a lot of food. There were some sausages, bread, juices, milk, butter, and some other ingredients he couldn't recognize. There were also some vegetables on the side of the cold container.

Using everything that he found there, he cooked a simple meal on the stove above the counter on the other side of the kitchen. All the while smoking, and singing.

He felt very mischievous throughout the whole deal, breaking into someone's house at night and doing all of those questionable things.

However, as a thank you, he made sure to feed their poor bird who was on his own in a big iron cage. He also left them one gold coin and a note that he wrote on a piece of parchment saying, "Hello, I am that Altar Butcher or whatever they called me in the news. I unfortunately crashed into your home from the roof's door, and needless to say, it was broken. I've also helped myself to some of your delicious food, and orange juice. Thank you, and here is the money as compensation. P.S: I didn't do it, I was framed."

Firrol couldn't help but crack up with laughter as he imagined the resident's reactions after reading this note.

After having satiated their hunger, they slept for a little while in their living room until the morning came, and the roosters sang their morning serenade, their proud crowing heralding the dawn of a new day.

When Melvin walked out of the door, a solemn expression replaced his previously carefree disposition. He knew that if what those three assassins said was true, then the difficulty of roaming around the city had just increased exponentially.

As much as he just wanted to stay home, who knew when the next attacker would show up? If he hadn't worked hard to increase his strength previously he would have been murdered by the three, and it was this realization that gave him endless motivation. There was no way but forward for more strength for him right now, if he stagnated just a little bit, he would viciously murdered by some malicious party.

Thus, he had clear and concise priorities. Exhaling the long breath he was holding, he closed the door and swiftly disappeared from that new street with his new attire.

Naturally, he wouldn't let go of the chance to do a makeover if he had the opportunity. He brushed his medium-length black locks to the side and wore a dark green beanie on top of it. He also changed all of his clothes and now he was wearing a white thin cloak with some golden embroidery, a black shirt, dark brown pants, and some sandals.

When he looked at himself in the mirror, he could hardly recognize himself.

'I need to get my hands on that Class Stone, and then kill a priest to get a skill, raise to rank 5 get a new skill, and then start planning to out of the city.' Melvin thought on the way, and most of these things rested on the shoulder of a man he barely knew but had a good impression of.

'Wait!' He thought as his steps halted. He had just realized something very dangerous, and he couldn't help but gulp.

When he first contemplated going to Karl's house yesterday and finally decided that it was a go, he had practically no bounty, it was just a bit of money for his information. Now apparently, there was a bounty on his head that reached 1000 gold coins.

To make matters worse, he had learned from Firrol that there were a lot of guilds that loved these kinds of work, and the information that was shared by the news stated that his strength was practically nonexistent, which meant... A drove of greedy adventurers would have already started looking for him.

Thus, his certainty in his decision was immediately shaken. He couldn't say for sure whether Karl could be trusted or not.

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'It all depends on how wealthy he is,' Melvin thought, 'Would 1000 gold coins move him?'

After thinking through the problem for a while, he decided that he was going to risk it. There were a lot of factors in that decision such as the fact that he knew that danger would turn up a notch, his own agility had increased by a lot, and the fact that he had a good impression of the guy.

It didn't take the duo any more than fifteen minutes before they were greeted by Karl's street.

Looking at the familiar door on the opposite street, Melvin began to get a bit nervous. But he steeled his heart and stayed put. There was no other way to go about it.

As his eyes randomly trailed from one corner to the next, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a news board prompting him to immediately stand up from the front steps he was sitting on. "Continue watching over that house." He said, "I'll be right back."

Step by step, he approached the news board and stood in front of it. Briefly looking through all of the other articles, he quickly found the one he was looking for.

- Terror Unleashed: The Altar Butcher's Reign of Blood Continues:

As the city grapples with the aftermath of the heinous slayings that claimed four lives, a new wave of horror grips its inhabitants. The perpetrator, now dubbed "The Altar Butcher," because of his twisted way of killing stands accused of further atrocities, including the brutal murder of 28 civilians, the rape of a married couple, and the slaying of an Initiate Rank 9 Rogue guard.

Authorities now personally led by The Chief of Guards, Dulan, fueled by outrage and determination, have intensified their pursuit of this malevolent figure. A bounty of 1000 gold coins now hangs over his head, enticing brave souls to aid in his capture. Delving into his past, investigators have uncovered chilling details, including conversations with his mother, a prostitute, and damning testimonies from former associates who allege his orchestration of the vile acts.

With each revelation, the city recoils in horror, grappling with the unsettling truth that such darkness lurks within its midst. As fear tightens its grip and whispers of the Altar Butcher's reign spread, the quest for justice becomes all-consuming, driving the populace to unite in their resolve to bring an end to his reign of terror.

...

Even after going through the article for the umpteenth time, Melvin stood there dazed, eyes unfocused, and his mouth agape.

'What kind of situation is this?!' He finally thought through a combination of fear and disbelief.

Now that he verified the validity of the pony-tailed assassin's claim, he knew that they were probably the ones behind it. As for the reason why they would do such a thing? It seemed equally simple, raise the value of someone they considered a weak prey by killing other helpless victims, and then finally claim the big reward.

Fortunately for him, his strength had increased, otherwise, he would have been publicly executed and then sent to the place he first emerged from in this world.

'Also what's what thing about they talked with my mothers? And then some others have alleged some testomonies against me?' He thought perpelexed, 'What is going on?'

He also noticed how the news board emphasized the fact that he killed a Guard at the 9 Rank, which meant people would be prepared for that caliber of strength.

As he was lost in thoughts before the news board, he suddenly felt a powerful hand grip his right forearm with so much force that he felt like it was going to get pulled apart. Before he could even turn around to see, he felt an even stronger force pull him, followed by a cold voice, "Come with me."

His head finally turned to the right, and what greeted him was the back head of a tall short-haired man wearing some dark brown clothes.

In a mixture of both shock and fear, he obliged. Not that he had any other option because he had discovered how impossible it was for him to resist the man's pull.

His breath couldn't help but increase in pace, his heartbeat soon followed, and before long he found himself sweating buckets as he walked step by step behind the man, contemplating whatever was happening. However, just the fact that he wasn't attacked on sight had brought him immense relief, though how this particular thing would unfold was still a mystery.

The slightly taller man pulled him into an alleyway on the opposite street from where he was reading the news and finally turned around to look at him.

The moment their eyes made contact, Melvin shivered in fright as his eyes widened.

He believed that he had learned what rage and an intense desire to destroy was when he was attacked by both the old man and the three assassins. But, it was only now that he looked at this seemingly normal man's eyes that he finally understood how strong those feelings could go.

Needless to say, to be looked at in such a way by someone clearly stronger than him, made him feel petrified.

An audible gulp echoed between the two, and with much difficulty, he willed himself to say, "What..."

"Shut up!" Mumbled the man with a scowl, his voice although soft, perfectly managed to convey his intense negative feelings.

It was at that moment that Melvin's eyes lit up in recognition. He had actually recognized who that man was!

"Jonathan Parker," He thought, but his fear only increased as a result. Memories flashed before his eyes in a flash.

How he had first met this man, sitting in a carriage with visible rage on his face when he first came to this world. How he learned from those people by the sidewalk that this was the Vice-president of the Adventurer's Association. However, most importantly, how had he read in the news board that this person had lost his daughter to a murder and was aiding the authorities to apprehend the one responsible?

Everything seemed to fall into place, and with it, his heart followed into the lowest levels of hell. It was at that moment that he realized, he was finished.

"I am no..." He tried to mumble, and unlike last time, only a terrifying glare was able to shut him up.

The hand on his forearm was still gripping tightly, and suddenly it had increased so much so that Melvin believed his forearm would be broken. Fortunately, it didn't, and Jonathan Parker let go of his grasp.

The man's cold gaze unwaveringly followed Melvin's as he reached for his pocket and brought out an oval crystal. Stretching his right hand, he turned his palm to face upward and ordered, "Put your hands on this."

Although Melvin knew that nothing good could come out of this, he had no other options. With gritted teeth, he slowly extended his hand and did as he was told.