Using the cover of the night and the experience he got from his years of training, Andel was able to avoid enforcers patrolling the streets. While the number of tuskers that came out didn’t exceed thousands, the fact that they were released in the middle of a bustling street made it very dangerous.

However, the abandoned warehouse that was the secondary way to the hideout was just around the corner. Lilia said to meet her after an hour, but the situation had turned weird. Andel was afraid he would get caught by the enforcers and mess everything up.

“Andel! Where were you? I was searching for you everywhere!!” Lilia stood next to the gate of the warehouse while shifting from one leg to the other. The moment she saw Andel appearing from around the corner, she hurried towards him.

“What happened to you?” Seeing him shirtless with red patches all over his body and face, she paled. Andel even saw her shuddering for a moment.

“Ah, this!? Don’t you worry, those aren’t my blood.” Andel answered as he rubbed one of the blood splotches on his chest.

After seeing the white skin beneath, Lilia felt relieved before giving him a hard stare.

“What were you doing? Do you know what happened just now?”

“Mhmm!” Andel nodded before throwing the horns in front of her. “I was busy hunting those!” He said while scratching his neck.

“These are…” Lilia recognized it instantly, causing her eyes to widen like dinner plates. She couldn’t help but give the kid, who joined them no longer than a day, furtive glances. Her mouth mimicked a fish out of the water as they opened and closed furiously.

“You… don’t tell me, you killed them all by yourself!” Lilia asked in a voice filled with disbelief. Her eyes didn’t leave the shiny, red jewel-like horns with anti-armor properties.

“I did.” Andel nodded.

Lilia stared speechlessly at Andel for a while. Even in her wildest dreams, she hadn’t thought him to be this capable. There are seven horns, meaning he had killed seven of those tuskers. Killing seven of those ravenous beasts wouldn’t be a walk in the park even for a level 5 Warrior, let alone a disabled kid.

Is it really what everyone suspects? Does this kid have a superpower?

She had seen many people with superpowers. Some of them were like Andel, who couldn’t use ki or magic. But very rarely, if ever, had she saw someone with the same capabilities displayed by this Andel.

Travis is right. This kid isn’t ordinary.

However, the more unordinary he was, the better it would be for them.

“Alright. Let's go.”

…

They came inside the underground hideout.

“Selina is back,” Lilia revealed, making Andel twitch. He nearly tripped due to missing a step.

“Ah, I see.” Andel fumbled around a bit with words. Not knowing what to say, he kept silent as they walked into the common hall.

What should I ask? How is she? That would be a dumb question! I will probably meet her soon, anyway. Ah, yes, I know what I should know.

“Lilia, can you tell me a bit about her.” Andel asked.

Lilia stopped, turned around, and gave Andel a look filled with mirth and amusement.

“Trying to create a good first impression, are we?” She joked.

Andel twitched his lips and tried to smile. He couldn’t get used to her bipolar personality so soon.

“She didn’t like slackers. But that’s not a problem with you. As far as first impressions are concerned, you could just act casually and introduce yourself to her.” Lilia wanted to tell more about her to Andel but decided against it.

“Act casual, right? Got it.” Andel nodded. A plan is already forming in his head as they walked through the silent hallway.

“By the way, she is currently in her room, resting. She had been attacked and suffered some grievous wounds. Let her heal her wounds for today.” Lilia advised.

“Okay, I will do just that.” Andel nodded to her.

“Okay, see you at dinner.”

After parting ways with Lilia, Andel went to his room. After a good bath, he jumped into bed and slept for a few hours. It was not until Travis’s knocking on his door did he wake up. Walking groggily, while rubbing his barely opened eyes, he opened the door.

“Dinner’s ready. Let’s go.”

“Okay.” Andel nodded and followed him behind.

“Thank you,” Travis mumbled.

“What for?” Andel, with a raised eyebrow, asked.

“Those seven tusker horns. Thank you.” Travis patted Andel’s shoulders while smiling. Seeing the latter looking at him confusedly, he smiled and explained.

“As you already know, I am a dagger specialist, and my mastery lies in throwing them as projectiles.”

Seeing Andel nodding, he continued.

“Most of the time, it's hard to retrieve a thrown dagger. Therefore, after every mission, I have to restock my inventory. It just so happens that I am short in dagger supply after my last mission, and tusker horns are one of the raw materials for my dagger. Don’t worry! I will pay you the market price of the horns tonight after we return.”

It seems he really needed those horns. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been talking to me so politely.

The impression he had of Travis was friendly but not polite. For him to act so formal gave Andel a weird kind of feeling.

Maybe it’s because I killed so many tuskers despite being a ‘weak’ kid.

Andel entertained a few thoughts before they reached the dining hall.

There was a new addition to the table, and it’s a he.

Selina isn’t a man.

Andel reminded himself.

“Andel, come here. Let me introduce you to Julio. He was on a mission until now. He just returned.” Frendez smiled as he said while pointing at the buzzcut man in a loose-fitting shirt and half pants.

“Yo, Julio, it seems you came back in one piece. I half thought you would return in a body bag.” Travis joked as he went to get a plate for himself.

“Hello, Andel.” Julio completely ignored Travis and smiled at Andel, showing his shark-like teeth.

“Hello. Nice to meet you, eh, Mr. Julio.” Andel rubbed his neck and replied.

“Just Julio is fine.” He said before returning to his plate.

Today’s menu was rice and carrot and beef stew.

Ugh! I hate carrots! Hmm! Speaking of carrots, I don’t see Two here. I wonder what he is doing.

Thankfully, the carrots were cut into larger dices, making it easier for him to separate from the stew. While eating, his eyes roamed across the table. Frendez was devouring in large spoonfuls. Lilia was back to her cold self, eating one spoon at a time. Travis and Julio seem to have started a competition among themselves about who could eat slower.

Only Two and Selina didn’t come to join.

“Andel, since you are going to be Selina’s pupil, you must bring her food today,” Frendez said in between his bites. “Her leg is in a cast, so she can’t walk. After you finish your food, bring a plate for her.”

“Okay.” Andel nodded. He felt nervous about meeting her. Despite his mental age, she was still going to be someone who will teach him things in the future.

Andel felt the same kind of nervousness many times before, but in this new world, it was the first time.