For a man who never had 'guests'. Well, to him, not saying anything bad was the best action he could possibly do. It was difficult for him to not treat them badly. At least for Adam, there was nothing that came to mind about the 'right' thing for him to do.

His rational thinking stopped his putrid mouth. 

Though when put in action, it all became awkward.

"Hey, anyone want a drink?" An unfamiliar voice resounded towards the three figures sitting around a table. The man's face was like sunshine. Not holding any animosity whatsoever towards the strangers.

"Booze." The old man burped.

"Milk." The other had a slightly more 'refined' taste.

"WHO SAID YOU COULD TOUCH MY STUFF?!" It was the last person that had a problem. Adam was not someone who could accept broken boundaries. A blazing eruption of inner fury arose from his eyes.

Who was this guy to act like this was his home?

"One glass of water, then." Kang Hyuk... or 'Hyuk' for short, arbitrarily decided based off that fiery response. Not the least bit affected by the booming voice of his landlord. He seemed completely at ease.

"Did you hear me?!" Adam didn't take this lightly.

"Sir, I feel your pain. I know we pitiful old fools came here on such short notice, but can you find it in your heart to pity us?" Even though Hyuk's words were weak and gracious, they held their shamelessness.

"Who are YOU to ask that of me...?" Adam quipped.

"Kang Hyuk, but you can call me Hyuk." The young man introduced himself  again, but the earlier words he spoke made Adam suspicious. Was he really as old as he looked? From what he remembered, the most common stories with ascension were...

...eastern fantasy.

In those kinds of stories, the protagonist had the goal of 'ascension'. They would usually take more than a hundred years getting there. Retaining their youth along the way via medicines or power-ups.

Was this Hyuk person of that type?

"Don't get so cozy, you goofy son of a-" Adam squinted and wanted to show his domineering posture. The pride of a landowner. However, he did not expect to hear a quip he'd heard before.

"Language." The man who looked injured, Sebastian Pegasus, intervened. This second old geezer, who had ordered milk, no longer possessed shame. It was a miracle Adam did not drop kick the bastard.

As for the first, he seemed to have a stomach ache from how he was hunching over with those weak eyes. Well, the drool and rumbling sounds begged a differ. Adam sucked in his anger and hate with a deep breath, then gestured them to get on with it.

"Do you want some chicken? I've been getting better at my cooking skills and wanted to try it." Kang Hyuk hit him at his weakest point. The landlord's belly rumbled at the thought of 'real food' in a while.

Convenience stores now existed in this nation thanks to merchants copying what they could. Setting up shop and better controlling the money flow. All for the sake of improving the nation, and thus... profits.

Despite being a landowner, Adam had been eating canned food like a dog. He had been getting tired of the same mixed vegetables and lamb soup that he'd bought tons of... but couldn't bring himself to cook.

He had the ingredients, just not the courage to try and fail. If there was one thing he wanted to avoid the most, then that would be 'failing'. He'd rather someone who COULD cook did this for him.

Too bad he was too paranoid to take on servants.

Worried that they'd betray him.

Adam coughed. Thinking he could handle this desecration and invasion on his fridge, but seeing Hyuk's grubby little hands made the owner mad at him. Even though they tried burying the hatchet.

"Kang Hyuk...!" Adam called out to him

"Please call me Hyuk~" The 'young man' replied.

"Don't screw with MY fridge. Also, I don't have anything you can cook in this place." He showed who was the boss here. Still, the social butterfly of a man didn't seem the least bit put off by his unfriendly attitude and demeanour. It was nothing to him.

Hyuk went off and poured the two the drinks they wanted. This was before coming back with a peaceful look. Seeing the two focus on what he brought, Kang Hyuk picked up his seat and sat in front of Adam.

"Sir, can I call you by your name?" Hyuk did not stutter or falter in his attempts. The landlord of this mansion the trio now lived turned his own chair and faced that gaze. He only said one word in response:

"Fine." Adam welcomed his banter.

"You seem to not like me much." Hyuk had caught on fast. Though to be honest… saying that was putting it lightly, but Adam would rather not go into detail on why. Looking at that envious face of his.

"I don't like many people." Adam admitted this much. He wasn’t against Hyuk in particular. It just didn’t sit well with him whenever a social person acted out. This attitude was just how he talked.

"You treat everyone like this?" Hyuk looked at him.

"You'd probably feel honoured if I didn't." Adam didn’t seem bothered. It wasn’t like him to care about the opinions of tenants. They either paid or got out, but that wasn’t the problem he had here.

After all, tenants didn’t usually live with their landlord directly. They had their own rooms in an apartment or separate housing. The only reason they were living with him right now was to cut the costs.

Everyone here was unemployed…

"You know me best~" Hyuk didn’t seem to understand him and simply joked around with his fierce personality. His easily distracted eyes became stern after saying this in a formerly happy mood.

The corners of his lips fell the moment he asked:

"How are you related to the system?" Hyuk seemed smarter than one would assume. He was instantly able to figure out from context that Adam had some sort of relation with it. There was no other answer.

"I don't have to tell you that." Adam raised a brow.

"You don't, but it'd really be helpful." Hyuk smiled.

"Why would I be helpful to you?" Adam wasn’t the sort to simply ‘help out’. Moreover, this was his personal life. Having someone, especially a tenant beneath his roof, was disgraceful to his pride.

"Why not?" Hyuk was rather demanding despite the smiling face. The same expression displaying several emotions. Seeing the lack of annoyance in the social butterfly's tone, the landlord dialled it all down.

He shouldn't be like this to Gaia's 'Final Gift'.

"You're right... 'Why not?'... Ahem, so how are you guys planning to pay rent for this place?” Adam got back to business. If socialising was bound to go horribly wrong, he’d rather stick to negotiations.

"Not sure. Maybe the same job in my own world."

"Weren't you a fighter? Are you planning to join a hunting guild?" Adam guessed from common sense of Wuxia tropes. He imagined the version of Ancient China that Hyuk came from had some ‘cultivators’.

It’d be natural to think an Ascender from there had a combat occupation. Maybe a bounty hunter, or even a magic fighter that travelled the world. Seeking out life-changing opportunities and ways to improve.

However, it seemed like Adam had a misconception.

"Oh, I'm not much of a fighter." Hyuk scratched the back of his head. He wasn’t wearing a sword, so it didn’t seem like he was lying. These words had drawn the man’s attention more than anything else.

Adam couldn't believe his ears.

"What kind of world did you come from?" Adam suddenly felt a tinge of curiosity overcome him. The earlier assumptions he had could’ve been wrong. It wasn’t like everything was reliant on story logic.

"From what I've read, I think other realms would call it a 'Wuxia World'. I was just a nobody." Hyuk was trying to figure out himself, but he decided it wasn’t as important as he thought. It didn’t matter anyway.

"Don't brush it off." Adam felt more confused.

His assumption turned out to be correct, but the disagreement that persisted meant that he was missing a crucial detail. How did someone ‘weak’ like himself manage to ascend into a higher realm?

"Seriously, there's nothing much to talk about. I’ve more interest in why you need a teacher." Hyuk didn’t seem to think much about it. After all, in terms of weirdness, the guy in front of his was worse.

He was on his own little scale.

The truth was hard to ignore. The moment Hyuk dropped these words, Adam noticed the first old geezer slam down his cup. Simon burped. His eyes seemed sober, but his face was red with toxicity.

"I'm... interested..." Simon finally showed some interest. The geezer with the rumbling stomach squeezed out a selfish request. One that could easily be disregarded by others. He ignored his condition.

"Old man, are you being serious here?" Adam frowned more deeply. An even worse reaction. It was surprisingly hard to ignore this waste of space compared to Hyuk. He felt a sort of ominous feeling.

"He seems a bit talented." Hyuk chimed in again.

Sebastian watched how it unfolded. The same with the landlord. He could only see this exchange as one between two experienced conmen. Not ascenders with any idea of the topic. What 'talent' did he have?

"Enough jokes. What could this old geezer teach me anyway? He looks like he'd die from being pushed over." Adam brushed it aside. These harsh words didn't seem to phase Sebastian and Hyuk at all.

The duo merely turned to give him a look of pity.

"...What?" Adam spouted at them. He really didn’t understand their current looks… It didn’t make much sense at all from his perspective. Why look at him like that? Was there something on him?

"Poor guy... Anyway, I need to check up on how my friend is doing. His condition isn’t good.” Hyuk grabbed Sebastian by the arm. Exchanging a look before the two of them decided to leave together.

The duo left them two on their own. The old geezer looking at Adam still looked as drunk as usual, and his eyes hadn't changed one bit. There wasn't a hint of intoxication in them... but there was this feeling.

A prickle on his instincts.

"Are you really drunk...?" Adam felt suspicious towards this mysterious old man. He looked like a slob, but could it be that he was hiding some sort of unimaginable power? That’s why he was so careless?

"Hah… Forget it, Does that stuff really matter at this point? Well… Anyway, remember me. My name is Simon Rainglow. I’m a martial artist. I have an interest in taking you in." Simon waved his arm.

Unexpectedly, the old drunkard didn't seem the least bit interested in answering that question. It only served to make Adam more suspicious. Wondering if it was possible this whole thing was just a poor act.

Adam brought up the point without any detours:

"Why? Because you think I'm 'talented'?"

"Hmmm... Does it sound farfetched?" The geezer tilted his head while gesturing Hyuk for a refill. That pushover, Adam, went and got him that booze. The moment he did, it went down the hatch instantly.

With not even a moment of hesitation.

"Stop drinking. Weren't we having a talk?" Adam was keeping this subject on the table. Not letting him sidetrack or derail the conversation. He needed answers when it came to this sort of circumstances.

"Sorry... A big sip keeps the soberness away." Simon spoke with seriousness. Holding his index finger up to keep him on hold until he was finished. Taking in a deep sip as if he was taking in a breath instead.

What was he doing…?

"That is- Forget it... Now just leave me alone." Adam lost all interest. He was sure that this guy wouldn’t be a good teacher. The amount of attention he had in general was already difficult for him to grasp at.

"Weren't you looking for a teacher? When one falls out of the sky, you decide to act like this?” Simon showed no shame or remorse while putting the bottle down. His words were clear as being sober.

"Even I have standards." Adam crossed his arms.

"Really now? What are those high 'standards'?" A smirk appeared on Simon’s wrinkly old face. He seemed confident that despite his shortcomings, it wouldn’t take long for Adam to pick his services.

Adam decided to list it all off in rebellion:

"They have to be experienced." Was the first criteria.

"I'm the oldest one here." Simon met that standard.

"What about that guy?" Adam couldn't help but bring up the cat-like geezer drinking a glass of milk from before. If we we were looking at age alone, then that guy looked like he could compete with Simon.

"He's 20." Simon finally said something that threw him off his game momentarily. If the antisocial gamer was drinking something, this would be the time to spit-take. He couldn’t believe what he heard.

"He's younger than me?!" Adam cried out in shock.

"The youngest one here, but also the most put together and competent in protecting the people he likes. It was his silent support that let us survive in this nation’s streets." Simon sounded unusually sober for a guy who should’ve been wasted by now.

"Then what's with the white hair?" Adam frowned.

"He said his life force was overdrawn from an incident in the past. It looks like he survived a brutal accident before coming here." Simon was saying it like this was the same as a random car accident.

"Right... Anyway, my teacher also needs to know magic." Adam was sure that Simon couldn't fulfil this requirement. After all, ‘magic’ seemed like it was something unique to humans of the Divine Realm.

And as he expected, the geezer didn't retort.

"Why magic?" Simon simply tilted again.

"Because ‘martial art’ sounds hard." Adam sighed.

"It'd be a waste of talent." Simon tried to speak up.

"What do you know?" Adam wasn’t buying his nonsense. This geezer hadn’t even seen him fight before. That’s why he was sure this was some ruse to for him to change. The old fart acted too much.

"You have a trace of 'Divinity' within you. I'm guessing something similar to a God gave you their blessing." Simon spoke with the intelligence of a man who lived a long life. This statement widened the young man’s eyes. Completely lost for words.

He couldn’t believe this was so easily pointed out.

What did he mean?

Was he making things up?

Was this just some sort of religious thing?

"Divinity...?" Adam repeated. This was the first time hearing he had such a thing. It didn’t feel like he had anything like Mana in his body. The only thing this could refer to might be the game system windows.

Still, he had to be sure about this.

"It's what gives the 'Royalty' of this world their right to rule. If they knew you had this, then..." Simon swiped past his neck. There was no need to explain further. No one of a royal family liked competition.

They'd try capturing him, if not outright kill.

Now, Adam could feel the slyness of an old fox in the eyes of the geezer. He was put in a tight spot. It made him realise why the duo had pitied him. This old man wasn’t easy to stop when on a mission.

"Do you think I'd kneel over like that pushover over there? Are you threatening me?" Adam didn't say anything extreme, but he also wasn't going to let someone control him. Better to break than bend.

This was his new motto born from anger.

"I'm not threatening you. In fact, you're not the first disciple I've trained that touched upon ‘divinity’. I just pointed out your potential." Simon made sure this wouldn’t sound like a threat to his safety.

"It isn't...?" Adam had a sarcastic tone. Pretending to be oh-so-surprised when Simon said that. It was likely a threat in disguise. After all, were divinities selling like hotcakes to those who ascended?

And here Adam thought it was special only to him...

"That kid, my disciple, was already a skilled swordsman before I found him. I just helped him realise his potential." Simon remembered that dragon-eyed youth that had mastered the blade.

Such a statement meant that he could be sure Simon wanted nothing but to help him grow. He could feel at ease. However, a knot appeared in his heart even though they talked strictly about doing business.

Adam’s mouth started to open, before asking:

"Why did you train him?" Adam directed these words to this maker of child soldiers. This time, it was him who boldly poked his nose in someone else's business. He couldn't understand the motives.

"You say it like I need a reason." Simon yawned.

"You do... Why wouldn't you have one?" It was give and take. Like how student-teacher relationships at school was based on the latter being paid to teach the former. Why else would someone teach?

"The reasons for when I would train a disciple is the same as when I wouldn't. Sharing tricks and helping a person learn the ropes… That sort of thing is my reason for this." Simon made a vague retort.

Not really giving the full picture of what exactly this was about. Well, at least it went in-line with what Adam himself wanted. Simon wanted a student, and he wanted a teacher. It was mutually beneficial.

"Maybe... but why 'share' knowledge?" Adam still felt his curiosity wasn’t sated. He wanted a better answer than that. Something he could agree with. Not being brushed off without any consideration whatsoever.

"Hmmm?" Simon tilted his head.

"Knowledge is as precious as money. Even that bastard who kept opening my fridge earlier didn't outright teach me anything. He knows it could be sold later." Adam made his point perfectly clear.

Simon knew this wasn't the boy’s true question.

"So you admit yourself and Hyuk are similar." This was hard to accept. The old man could see the young landlord wasn’t fond of being compared to him. Was it hate at first sight? He seemed too uncooperative.

"What? Us...? Don't say something so nasty." The disgusted expression Adam made would’ve hurt anyone. It was a good thing Sebastian and Hyuk already left. This offhand comment was vicious.

"You both are non-combatants at heart. In fact, both of you would rather converse when it comes down to it." Simon found this part important. Most could only ascend by fighting; not by spewing nonsense.

"Don't normal people do that?" Adam countered.

"They don't." Simon knew what he meant, but it was the truth that most Ascenders chose violence above all other options. The young man didn't notice when the old geezer's hand had stretched out towards him.

Adam moved his arm to push the fragile-looking hand away, only to feel the inevitability of it grasping him. Fingers didn't claw at his throat, but the way they all touched his voice box made him tremble.

It was only a moment, and Simon retracted his hand straight after. However, the feeling had lingered. The unsavoury capitalist felt his back run cold... Sweat dripped down from Adam’s face. He raised his line of sight to see the nonchalant expression in front.

"I promise you this: 'Murder' and 'Death' will now be a part of your daily life. If you can't make the decision to kill someone when it's necessary, then you'll face the consequences of letting them live." A psychotic grin appeared on the old geezer’s face.

Adam had no response.

He could hardly breathe under the pressure that the old man had suddenly put on his shoulders. As a person who had seen the wanton and unfair amount of violence in Pandorica, he didn’t deny these words.

Protecting someone as a system was hard enough on its own. Now he had to worry about his own life being in danger. Nobody knew when some random person might feel like sending assassins at him.

“So... this is another world.” Adam thought. It might have sounded like an obvious thought, but the reality was sinking in just now. It took some time. Although the world was different, the young man never felt like anything here was different than on Earth.

There were still crimes, capitalism, those who thought of their pride above human lives, and the same kind of weather. Everything was only slightly altered compared to how things were on Earth.

Twisted to a darker appearance…

However, Simon ignited a spark within his heart.

For the first time in his life, he felt such a 'real' threat. A sense of crisis on an instinctual level. The unsavoury capitalist, Adam, could see that his penny pinching ways were worthless in front of death.

In front of the horrors that this world held.

This was especially in front of the man who so casually touched his throat with the intention to break it. Either Simon was a psycho, or this world didn't go by the same set of laws he believed existed.

Seeing his empty face, the old geezer slapped the young man’s shoulder and gave what consolation he could: "Hey, at least you’re talented. Think about how harsh life would be if you hadn't any blessings."

If the others were here, these words would’ve made Hyuk react. He would’ve made the oh-so-kind pushover taking care of Sebastian look at them with a weird gaze. Hopefully, it would be jealousy.

"Right, I have some blessings." Adam agreed since he had some Legendary Rank skills on standby already. He might not know how they worked, but he was sure things would go smoothly with time.

Unlike others, Adam was aware of his strengths and how he could improve them. He might have lived as an untouchable entity that could see through walls back then, but now he was focused on his survival.

Without thinking, he spoke a rare expression:

"Thank you."

Simon saw it as nothing, but Adam's eyes widened after realising what words came out of his own mouth. Hardly believing that he was capable of thanking someone instead of endlessly paranoid.

A new message appeared in front of him.

['Antisocial Outcast' Growth Characteristic has been discarded. You have grown your community. You have chosen to socialise with others, which is now antithetical to the original nature recorded.]

['Polite Introvert' Growth Characteristic obtained.]

Though the latter seemed less extreme than the former trait, Adam wasn't sure if he really changed or not. There didn't seem to be anything different internally. The only thing that changed was the label Gaia put on him. Like being judged for his actions.

Something he was already deeply aware of.

“Yeah... This much is fine.” Adam thought that at the very least, it was better than having that embarrassing title on him. Rather, it was better to focus on reality. Accept the changes within him.

The knots and social barriers he'd so desperately kept up were finally destroyed by this weird trio he met. Although none seemed reliable, he tried to put his faith in them rather than keeping distance.

They all seemed like nice people anyway...

Adam wasn't aware how this sense of kinship was brought about. The warmth and ease within. Then he realised that he was probably lonely. Literally anyone from Earth would’ve made his day.

This looked like a start of a new relationship.

However, if things always went this easy, then life would be sunshines and rainbows in the nation of Pandorica. Despair had no bottom limit, and the aristocracy of nation, the 'Dark Nobility', weren't peaceful people. They had already started moving.

Their way of life was more sinister than the law of the jungle, and more humble than any other. He had to think about the past and renew the ‘mastermind’ within him. Time passed with the kid at his side.

Atop of a nearby rooftop, four figures stood quietly in the silent night. A staff was raised upwards. The sky suddenly became cloudy, and a thunderstorm started to pour down the moment that he did.

The raid made the figures even harder to spot.

Meanwhile, Duke Bryan watched through a television screen how his 'test' would turn out.

He'd hoped there was something good to see.