“Twenty-six power…” Roan stared at his stats, unsure just how strong that really was. When he fought against Zorrak the Swiftblade, that glass cannon of a hobgoblin, his speed was simply through the roof, but he had pretty average strength. Roan, on the other hand, had an all-rounded stat spread.
While he wasn’t sure how he would compare to the peaks of humanity, he was sure that he could easily beat any teenager in the national competition. After all, he had a body that was essentially as developed as an adult that had trained for years, while everyone else was just… well, kids.
He glanced at the fleeting cityscape outside, his thoughts a blur. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, where he constantly beat Mister Anton up in other universes, grinding in the dungeon, and training Kendo, the accumulation of all his efforts was coming.
The bus soon stopped, and the students walked out in droves. He was greeted by a familiar sight, one that he had visited many times in his random escapades in the night—Cassara, the capital city of Novara.
Thanks to his spark, Roan could access virtually any point in space with just a mere thought, allowing him to travel thousands of kilometers in the blink of an eye. Most of his travels done on Earth, if he didn’t travel to other realities, was him visiting Cassara, enjoying the various delicacies and tourist sights to be found in that prosperous city.
“This is our hotel.” Anton led the students to a tall, twenty-plus-floor building. It was just like any other hotel you could find; it was modern, sleek, and aesthetic, but it didn’t have the artistic beauty of old inns found in countryside towns and villages.
Going up the elevator, Roan reached his room and tossed his luggage inside. Right now, what he wanted to do was just be free from these bastards, and wander around Cassara! The competition was still five days away, and he had plenty of time to enjoy himself.
And Dad’s on another business trip to Cassara! Roan grinned. I’ve missed that old man.
For a whole month, he had been pulled away from the comfort of his own house and his family. He had missed many Friday dinners, Sunday outings, and weekends that he could have spent in the dungeon.
Right on cue, he felt his phone buzz and received a text from his father.
“Meet me at Uptown Mall at 6 pm, we’ll have dinner together.”
Short, succinct, warm. Moreover, it’s free food.
Roan grinned, ditching the rest of his clubmates, and skedaddled onto the outside world. He was free.
…
“I should have made a plan on where I’m going.” Roan stared at the open streets of the city, unsure of where he should go. Should he visit the Uptown Mall in advance? Should he go to a local cafe and read a book to appear smart? Should he go to the park and enjoy the natural scenery? Or visit the museum to enjoy the history of Novara?
In the end, Roan decided to be a basic bitch and go to a coffee shop. It was still kind of early in the morning since they departed from Elmwood last night, and while he did sleep on the bus, it was far from being comfortable and his mind needed caffeine.
He traveled the city on foot, passing by shops and stores he had visited before. The number of times he had gone to Cassara needed more than two hands to count, and he was even considered a familiar face in some establishments.
One of which was Rosegold Cafe, where he usually buys himself a nice cup of joe in the morning when everyone else is still asleep at the camp. The door opened with a jingle, and he was greeted by a black and gold themed interior, with chandelier-like lights to illuminate the inside of the store.
He walked up to the counter; the barista recognized him with an immediate glance.
“Roan, glad to see you again.” The barista, a young girl studying in college, with long brown hair tied into a ponytail, greeted him. She had beautiful green eyes, a heart-shaped face, peach-colored lips, and a grin that felt refreshing and brimming with the energy of youth.
“Hey, Jenny.” Roan leaned on the counter, glancing at the variety of food and drinks he could buy, and felt that something sweet should do nice. “I’d like to get a… A white caramel latte please.”
“Oh, that’s new,” she said playfully. “You always get something bittersweet.”
“It’s because life is bittersweet,” said Roan.
“It’s because life is bittersweet,” echoed Jenny at the same moment.
“…”
She laughed as she saw his deadpan look. “You always say that whenever I mention the word bittersweet.”
“I’m just a sentimental person, okay?” Roan shrugged his shoulders. “I even cried when I had to cut off my hair.”
As the two spoke, the bell jingled and a new face walked in. He was quite tall, with a hairstyle similar to a wolfcut but on the shorter end. He had pale white skin, sharp eyes, thin lips perched on a smile. He wore a simple plain white shirt, khaki pants, and black sneakers, giving him a cohesive, neat look.
Hmm? Roan locked eyes with the man, curious as to who this hot stuff was.
However, when their eyes met, the young man flinched for a split-second, before returning to normal. For others, they wouldn’t have noticed his subtle reaction, but Roan, whose stats had been enhanced after a month of grinding his ass off, noticed that minor detail.
What the heck, bro? Roan rolled his eyes inwardly. You think I’m ugly or something?
“He looks kind of familiar,” Jenny whispered.
“Who cares.” Roan already categorized the young man as some bastard in his mind. “I bet he’s some arrogant piece of shit instead.”
…
What… What kind of spiritual presence is that? The young man consciously distanced himself away from Roan, his thoughts a mess. His dark brown eyes turned a shade darker, appearing pitch-black, and the world around him shifted from the corporeal to the incorporeal.
For Jenny, she appeared rather normal, and the shade of her spirit was a neat white color. There were some dark spots here and there, mostly concentrated on her head and back, perhaps a result of bad posture and mental stress from school.
Roan, on the other hand, was coated in a dark red color. Even from a distance, he could distinctly hear baleful wails and eldritch whispers stemming from the unnatural shade surrounding the seemingly normal young man. It was the same feeling he received when he encountered evil spirits or vengeful ghosts, but clearly, Roan was just your normal guy.
A murderer? The young man hypothesized. While the spiritual aura of the murderers he had met was more ‘lukewarm’ compared to this person, it was also quite similar. But what are those whispers? Just hearing them is making my head hurt.
As the young man struggled to make a decision in his mind, he once again locked eyes with Roan, and his blood froze.
Instead of a regular pair of human eyes, he was met with a dark void where countless white irises and red pupils floated. They gazed at him, apathetic, unfeeling, curious. His skin crawled with numerous goosebumps, and his heart nearly skipped a beat.
“Is he okay?” Roan whispered to Jenny, who also noticed the young man’s unnatural reaction.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“I… Maybe he’s dazzled by your cute face?” Jenny had gotten a little bit of tea into Roan’s personal life and knew that the boy swung both ways. “Why don’t you shoot your shot?”
“On him?” Roan was almost offended by her suggestion. “I dislike arrogant pricks, so no thanks.”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind dating someone with his looks.” Jenny gave him coffee. “Here’s your order by the way.”
“Thanks, Jenny.” Roan received his cup of joe, giving Jenny an extravagant tip like always. “If you want, I could give you a free ticket to watch the kendo competition five days from now.”
“That’s kind of random,” she commented.
“I’m participating.” Roan grinned. “I’ve already invited my other friends over, so why not add you to the list, right?”
“Are you sure? Would they even allow it?“
“Of course they would.” Roan scoffed. “I’m that school’s only shot at clutching a medal. They better cater to my whims.”
“I thought you hated arrogant pricks.” Jenny could practically feel the pride oozing out of Roan.
“This is confidence, my dear barista.” He smirked. “So, are you gonna accept it or not?”
“Sure, might as well.” Jenny shrugged her shoulders. “Which school do you even come from anyway? I’ve never heard you mention it before.”
“Elmwood High.” Roan already knew what she was going to say.
“Elmwood High?” Jenny was confused. “Never heard of it.”
That’s because it’s not in Cassara. Roan shut his lips and grinned. “It’s a backward school, it’s not that well known.”
“Hmm…” Jenny squinted her eyes. “Sure. I’ll be watching you, Roan, so you better win.”
“Yeah, yeah, I will.” Roan bid farewell to her, passing by the frozen young man in the process.
When he was finally gone, the nameless young man extricated himself from his shock and slowly approached Jenny with a heavy gaze.
“Hello, sir. What would you—“
“Who was he?” The young man didn’t even bother to let the barista finish her usual introduction. His eyes turned a darker shade just like before as he locked his gaze with the woman.
“You mean the customer before?” While Jenny usually wouldn’t leak personal customer information to others, the way the young man gazed into her eyes compelled her to do so, as if urged by some mystical force. “He’s Roan Peregrine.”
“Roan Peregrine…” The young man pulled out his phone, his darkened pupils returning to normal. “Just who are you?”
…
Roan continued to wander Cassara throughout the morning and the afternoon, sightseeing the capital city of Novara like any other tourist. He visited parks, went shopping in bakeries and stores, ate a crap ton of food, and even bought new clothes.
Thanks to the money he kindly borrowed from other worlds, Roan was quite the affluent youth already. He could afford to splurge, and he could just refill his coffers by borrowing some more money.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and night was approaching. The afternoon sun was descending into the horizon and the sky turned a dim orange shade. Roan munched the last bit of his waffles, tossed the wrapper into a nearby trash bin, and checked the time.
“Thirty minutes left.” He calculated in his mind. He had gone to Uptown Mall in advance and had been waiting for over ten minutes already, but he still had to wait more. What could I do to distract myself? Should I go to the arcade?
As he wondered to himself, lost in thought, he felt a tingling sensation from his back and turned to look. When he did so, he unexpectedly locked eyes with a familiar gaze, one that belonged to an arrogant motherfucker.
Oh great, it’s that goofball from the cafe. Roan rolled his eyes and planned on going to the third floor of the mall so he could avoid the nameless man, but the man began to move, at a rapid pace at that.
He’s… Roan widened his eyes. Is he heading to me?
Roan, an enjoyer of personal space and peace, immediately tried to walk away the moment he saw the weirdo’s worrying actions, but it was too late. Just as he was about to turn around, he heard a voice call out from behind him, “Roan Peregrine, right?”
What the fuck? He stalked me? Roan froze in place and slowly turned to look at the young man. “Nope. You got the wrong person, bro.”
The young man was clearly stupefied by the obvious lie, but he didn’t know how to proceed. He couldn’t just say Roan was lying because how would he know what Roan looked like in the first place without appearing like a stranger.
Ah, wait. His eyes flashed as he came to an answer. “I’m Shin Kimura, a participant in the National Kendo Tournament from Cassara High for the Festival of Talents. I just thought you were Roan Peregrine from Elmwood High.”
Shin Kimura? He’s from Afril? Roan squinted his eyes, and said, “Oh, uh, okay? It’s nice meeting you, Shin. I’m Bob Smith.”
He’s still lying?! Shin’s eyes nearly bulged out.
“Well, I have somewhere else I need to go, Shin. I hope you find this Roan Peregrine fella soon. He seems like a really nice and handsome guy, “ said Roan. Then, before Shin could react, the young man skedaddled, going up the escalator, disappearing from his view.
When Shin finally realized what happened, he cursed loudly in his head and clicked his tongue. “He’s clearly hiding things. Did he realize something? But how? Unless he has a heightened spiritual sense, he shouldn’t have noticed I was observing his aura.”
“Just what are you hiding from the rest of the world, Roan, to have such a malignant spirit.” Shin squinted his eyes, observing the distant silhouette of Roan.
…
Finally, out of that goofball’s sight, Roan heaved a sigh of relief and checked the time.
Just ten minutes left. He contemplated for a moment and thought that it was the right time to head on over to the restaurant they had planned beforehand. He went up another floor, reaching the fourth floor of the Uptown Mall, and headed to the northernmost section.
He was met by a fancy-looking entrance leading to the ‘Royal Banquet’, an overly expensive restaurant chain nestled in Norava. While the food there is indeed wonderful, the price was just way too steep in Roan’s opinion.
Roan entered the restaurant, showing verification to their reserved table, and was led to his seat. The interior of the restaurant was just as extravagant on the outside as it was on the inside, with golden chandeliers, beige-colored clothed tables, gold-colored chairs with red pads, and scented candles.
He sniffed at the scented table and could pick out hints of sweetness, something like honey or maple syrup. An appetizing scent? Roan was somewhat impressed by the innovative design.
His mind wandered as he waited for his parents to arrive, and he tried to jog his memory regarding that weird kid Shin Kimura. Just who was he? What did he do to that guy? Why did he look so much like Mister Anton when he broke into his home and beat up his wife and kid?
Wait, Shin Kimura from Cassara High? Roan finally put two and two together, but he still took out his phone to search just to make sure he wasn’t tripping. He’s that kendo prodigy from Afril!
A young man who transferred to Cassara High from Afril, a legend who shook the kendo world of Novara. In just three short years, he cemented himself as a true prodigy of the sword, defeating everyone and winning the national tournament for two straight years without fail. Now, in this third national tournament, if he wins, he will become a legendary figure among the youth of the country.
Wow. Roan wondered just what kind of tomfoolery this was. Why is that bozo interested in me?
He sighed over his misfortune but was soon taken aback by two familiar faces.
“Mom?” Roan was shocked to see his mother entering the restaurant with his father.
“Surprised to see your mother?” Ava chuckled, sitting down on the chair with Eamon following suit.
“I thought you’d only arrive in two days,” responded Roan. He pocketed his phone, focusing on his parents.
“Well, we wanted to surprise you.” Eamon chuckled while taking a look at the menu. “What have you been up to, anyways? You’ve complained so much about the camp for the past month that you might as well have called it hell.”
“Nothing much.” Roan groaned. “I did splurge a bit today.”
“Don’t worry about that, I’ll give you more money later.” Eamon browsed through the meals they could order. “You should have your share of fun while you’re in Cassara.”
“What about the tournament?” Ava asked, a curious grin on her face. “You think you could win?”
“I have a decent chance at it,” muttered Roan. He appeared calm, confident, and unbothered as if success was nothing more than just a casual task for him.
“Well, you think you can take on that Shin Kimura fella?” Ava continued. She had done her research, and the feats of that kid even made her gasp in surprise, so she wasn’t sure her son of all people could possibly contest that prodigy. “He’s kind of strong, you know.”
Strong was an understatement, but Roan had fought scarier monsters.
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Roan smirked. “I’d beat that bastard’s ass without problem.”
Besides, it’s all a matter of speed anyway. Roan considered the competition to be stupid. You just gotta strike the head, the hands, the torso, and the throat. You don’t even have to beat the enemy into submission, you just need more points than them without getting hit.
For someone who had spent a month straight grinding against goblins, horned rabbits, gnolls, and kobolds in the dungeon just to gather materials and scrolls, Roan was pretty damn sure he could take on anyone in that competition without much problem.
And if ever. Roan glanced at his ring and the bundle of potions he had crafted in his inventory. I could just take performance-enhancing drugs.
However, even if Roan was confident that he could win, his family was not so sure.
“If you really win.” Eamon smiled with a knowing look. “I’ll finally set you a home gym in the basement.”
“Uh huh…” Roan widened his eyes. “Really?!”
“Duh.” Eamon rolled his eyes. “If you actually win, that means you have some insane talent. I mean, that Shin kid is like a ‘once-in-a-century’ prodigy or something, right? Beating him means you’re at the same level.”
“And I know you’re way too lazy to go to a gym, so I might as well support your fitness goals and let your talent bloom,” said Eamon.
“But you do know that I don’t plan on becoming an athlete anytime soon,” rebutted Roan.
“You still have a long time before you graduate from college.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Who knows, maybe you’ll change your mind in at that time, and my investment pays off.”
“Sure.” Roan was just happy that in a way, he finally solved his gym issues. While he was saddened that he still hadn’t found the time-dilated parallel reality he was looking for, at least this tournament would provide him a real reward.
Well, even if he doesn’t win. Eamon glanced at the menu. I’d still set up that home gym of his. He’s been pestering me for over a month already. Whenever that boy begs, he just doesn’t stop.