'This again?'
Seeing his small hands like those of a child, he looked ahead and saw a car. Sighing, he got in, seeing a man in a suit who seemed a little anxious even if he didn't show it, but Saul at that time had already known him for two years and could tell when he was nervous after doing something that might go wrong.
"I hope you win today as well, I bet a lot."
"Right, Mr. Gabriel."
Looking outside, he realized they arrived quickly when it should have been far away. It really was a dream from parts of his past, and he didn't like that. Having these dreams every day, given that he had abandoned that past, wasn't very good.
"Let's go."
Getting out of the car, they entered an underground place where several men were having bloody fights with fists or knives, a total of five matches. A man was stabbed and fell to the ground, dying, then was quickly dragged away by someone who looked at him with contempt while pulling the body away.
"I bet a lot on you and you still lost?"
Around them, people in the stands wore masks and looked like very rich people. He knew well how much these people paid to have a spectacle, trying to get some entertainment in their tedious lives.
'I think at that time I was about 12 years old.'
A door to a cage was opened, and he entered, seeing another child a year older. Seeing that it was about to begin, he analyzed the child in front of him, knowing well who it was. Saul had a faint memory that they were friends in that place, at least until...
'He betrayed me...'
He didn't hate him that much, especially because that place was full of snakes who wanted more, and his problem was having believed in him and considered him a friend. Time seemed to jump forward when he blinked, and that child was on the ground clutching his stomach in pain, blood coming from his face. Saul's hands were bloody, and realizing the dream was ending, he left the cage, seeing his employer satisfied.
'Field number three of the Four Skulls, which was a gang from my country. This was the place where they organized no-rules fights between adults and children.'
This place was protected by powerful people who even controlled the police, so no one outside those involved knew what happened there. Leaving the place to the applause of the masked people with satisfied smiles, he left and got into the car, waiting for that man who came back with a bunch of money in an envelope.
"As always, here's your fifteen percent. You made a nice sum today. I'll take you to where the boss is—maybe he'll let you skip work today."
Receiving the money, his fingers trembled slightly. Gripping the cash tightly, he looked out the window. His other job was something he didn't like at all.
'I'd rather keep fighting than go back there.'
Closing his eyes, he started to fall asleep, and when he reopened them, he was staring at the ceiling, back in Enrico's body. He had to admit he was getting used to that body as if he had completely merged with it—it didn't even feel like he was in a body that wasn't his own.
'I've had this feeling since I came here.'
He tried to get up but felt a weight on his chest. Seeing Yumeha sleeping, he stroked her head and moved her to the side of the bed so he could get up. Then he went to the bathroom to start getting ready. Yumeha, feeling her master was no longer beside her, woke up a bit later, still sleepy—she had worked hard on the massage yesterday.
'No matter what, if it's for my master's good health, I'll do it again.'
Seeing the door open, she quickly knelt by his side, waiting for him to come out. When he exited, fully prepared, she blushed. To her, her master was always handsome, but today she felt there was something different and noticed something others wouldn't.
"Master, doesn't your eye look less golden?"
"Yumeha, you're awake?"
"Yes, master."
He hadn't noticed anything different, so he looked in the mirror and saw a slight difference—but it was surprising that Yumeha had noticed it.
'System, is this something you did?'
[ I didn't do anything! And why are you asking me? ]
'I don't know, maybe some trick of yours.'
After asking Yumeha to get ready, he had a healthy argument with the system. He didn't know why, but he felt his body seemed better—maybe it was Yumeha's massage or something external. It was hard to know when neither of them understood it.
After asking if the system could do a body analysis and getting a "no" as the answer, Enrico left the room with Yumeha. The students who saw them were surprised and asked Angela if this was allowed.
"Enrico is strong and now ranked 7, so yes, he can."
The boys held their heads in disbelief, calling Enrico a bastard. Angela, however, recalled Virelle telling her to allow Yumeha to stay in Enrico's room.
'What is Lady Virelle planning for the young master?'
She sighed. Recently, she had started calling him that in her mind—after all, he might become someone she'd have to follow just like Virelle, if he could become her disciple. She hoped he would, because following him was very entertaining—except when he disappeared into a dungeon.
Enrico and Yumeha arrived at Class S. As a newcomer, Yumeha was nervous since she would be with people at the same level as her master—though, of course, with him being the best.
'I never thought I'd get here, and all because...'
Looking at him as he opened the door, she gained confidence and entered with him. Inside were some she recognized, like the previous rank 10 who had been defeated by Rina. Since he was a second-circle level, he had quickly risen and now seemed to have taken rank 12.
"Enrico, here!"
Kai shouted from his desk. The girls sitting in the front turned toward him, wanting him to sit with them, while the other Class S students looked at him with a heavy atmosphere, like a new enemy who had suddenly appeared.
"You all seem excited."
"Of course—we got a message this morning when we arrived saying five students will be chosen for a test mission."
Danyana put her arm over his shoulder, making the girls send her a murderous glare, and for some reason, Kai held his sword at the same time as their glares.
'Wait—five? Don't tell me...'
[ Yes, for some reason in this world, an arc was moved forward. ]