'I am here.. What a sad life?'

......…..

Two months ago, days after Jake had just broken through to [Realm 3] and was flexing the new abilities alone in his room.

*Knock!* *Knock!*

Jake wasn't expecting any late visits, but he still had to ask, "Who is it?"

"It is me, Jake,"  said a voice from the other side of the door.

This left Jake surprised as he couldn't recognize the voice.

'It sounds thirty-ish. I barely know anyone of that age bracket,' analyzed Jake.

It was never a good thing to let a stranger come into his room. 

Hence, he asked again, "Who is it?"

"It is me, Jake," repeated the voice.

"Who?"

"Me."

"Who, me?"

"Me, me."

A twitch on his left cheek didn't go unnoticed as Jake sighed once again, 'There is an idiot at the other side. Good. It just happens that this idiot knows my name, excellent.'

Jake took pride in having an extraordinary level of tolerance. However, in situations like these, such tolerance was always non-existent.

Baring his fangs at the door, Jake smiled in his cold voice, "I don't have time for this. I have things to prepare for. So, if you are not going to tell me your name, then you can leave."

His smooth and calming voice carried with it the harshness of the freezing snow. 

It traveled to the ear of the person behind the door, who finally gave a good reply in a dismissive tone, "Thou is no fun at all. Very well. 'Tis I."

His words were like bombs to Jake, who couldn't stop himself from opening the door.

'There is only one person with that speech pattern,' realized Jake.

However, when he opened the door. The person behind it wasn't what he expected.

His messy hair, but gentle demeanor, accompanied with his old armor created a look on Jake's face that was simply...priceless.

Jake took control of his emotion and asked, "Who are you?"

"Jake, thou don't know me?" queried the man.

He paced around Jake's room for a bit before he found his place on Jake's bed.

Jake scrutinized the man. Every time, he kept imagining someone else….someone that had the same unique speech pattern as the man.

"Rhys? Rhys Woods?" Jake voiced out his doubt.

The Rhys Woods he knew was a neatly dressed young man that was attractive to the eye. He spoke using the same words, but this one in front of him was ruder with his words

"Verily," affirmed the man.

"If you are Rhys, why do you look like that?" questioned.

Gesturing with his hands, Rhys went on, "Most simple! It is nothing but a mere trick."

Waving his hand at his face, Rhys' appearance drastically changed. At each wave, he would resemble someone else. Jake even got to see the familiar face of the Rhys Woods he knew.

'...So, he is Rhys Woods, just that I haven't seen his true face before. This probably also not his real face,' realized Jake.

Rhys Woods was a man that left a deep mark in Jake's memory. After all, he was the only person that Jake owed deeply.

The man that gave Jake the headstart he needed, in the form of the [Sword Drawing Technique]. The same mysterious man that disappeared from his shop when Jake revisited the place.

Jake always knew it wouldn't be long till he shows up again, but he never factored that he wouldn't be able to recognize Rhys.

Finally, after meeting him again, Jake asked the question that was always on his mind, "Who are you?"

This question made Rhys regain back his humble expression.

Rhys, in a fit of good manner, reintroduced himself, "Fine. Thou can call me the Administrator or Overseer, whichever thou prefer. Just like mine name, I oversee things."

"Yes, I noticed. You have a way of meddling with 'things'. You did the same to the trio. I know of how you gave them their techniques for free," smiled Jake.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he wasn't liking it at all. He was probably in something deep, deeper that he can tell, and he obviously can't get out!

Pulling no stops, Jake revealed his guess, "Me, Nico, Lola, and Jaya, quite the list you have there. We were each supported by you. Tell me, are they 'candidates' like me?"

The concept of 'candidates' was something he had theorized after he arrived on the island and got some time to think.

He knew that he owed Rhys and the latter would come to ask for it. He could also tell that the repayment method would be outside the usual as Rhys was far stronger than him…..probably stronger than anyone he had ever met since he arrived in this world.

If he was that strong, then he should be able to take care of his problems by himself. Yet, he depended on tricking desperate youngsters to take care of it.

When combined with the fact that Rhys wanted youngsters, not strong people like the Aztec king, Jake got the idea of the youngsters being 'candidates'.

He was sure he wasn't the only one 'supported' by Rhys Woods.

This made him see Rhys in a different light.

Rhys was akin to a farmer sowing his seeds, waiting for it to germinate. In this case, the seeds were the candidates.

That would also mean that Rhys wasn't here to claim his debt as it was…..too soon, not enough time for them to have grown!

"Candidates, huh.....It hath a good ring to it. Yes, thou are a 'candidate', alas, not a certified one yet," chattered Rhys.

'So, I'm right,' sighed Jake.

Perhaps, the worst feeling in the world was not having control of one's life and still, yet, being ignorant of their lack of control.

Jake had already been scarred by the fact that he was never human. However, this new discovery helped him lessened his negative emotion.

At least now, he was aware of his relationship with Rhys.

He decided to pose another question, "What is the purpose of the candidates?"