“You are early, Miles.” Cale greeted the teen who was sitting at the table all by himself. He didn’t think the first to arrive would be Miles.

“Can’t keep you waiting now, can I?” Miles chuckled awkwardly. He thought he would get lost, so he left early, but now he was too embarrassed to accept it.

“Since we are the first to arrive, let's play something while waiting. Those lazy assholes will take some time.” Cale greeted the staff in the cafe and took Miles to where many different games were kept. There were ancient arcade game stations, up-to-date game stations that can increase dexterity and such, and some other games like pool. Cale walked beside the pool table and grabbed a cue. “Do you know how to play?”

“Played a couple of times,” Miles smirked as he started to weigh the cues. Grabbed one heave with a medium tip. In the meantime, Cale was setting the balls. “9 or 8?” He asked.

“I am a little bit rusty, let’s go with 8,” Miles answered and grabbed the white ball. After Cale set the balls, Miles took his shot with moderate strength, and balls scattered all around the table. Miles took a single look at the table and started to take his shots one after another. Not long after, all his balls were in the holes, while Cale was looking at him with his eyes twitching.

“Couple of times my ass! Rusty my ass! You asshole, you play like a pro.” He punched Miles's arm without holding back.

“Hey it is going to hurt—” Miles said while the fist was approaching at fast speed. Cale smirked and didn’t slow down at all, “—you.” Miles finished when Cale’s punch connected with his arm. Cale felt like punching a concrete wall or steel.

“What the hell are you made of?” Cale flapped his hand in pain. “You are at the peak of your second serum?” He asked with his mouth agape.

“Almost there.” Miles smiled proudly. He had already overcome the weakness period of taking a new serum and was getting stronger each day. He was getting closer to the peak.

“Little monster!” Cale could only exclaim in surprise. “People using the first serum before Form-Rank are too rare, let alone second!”

“I was lucky.” Miles acted humble but the little smile on his lips gave him away.

“Lucky my ass. Do you know how many people in Form-Rank lapsed into a coma because they couldn’t bear the pain? Even when they could reduce the pain with the help of energy.” Cale had more knowledge than Miles. When he was in the R&R, their commanders would offer them Strengthening Serums. Of course, no one could use them before increasing their level with superpowers, and only then could they use the serums. But Cale was too afraid to use it.

One of his friends with a weak superpower used two serums while he was at the peak of the Grace-Rank and low-tier Form-Rank respectively., but when he was in medium-tier Form-Rank and tried to use 3rd Serum, he fell into a coma, and still hadn’t woken up. Cale’s superpowers allowed him to perceive anything faster, so the pain would arrive at his brain at the speed of light. Even if he didn’t want to use his powers, in pain he would instinctively use his superpowers, thus the pain would be unbearable. When he first broke through to the Form-Rank high-tier, he used his first serum. The pain almost killed him. He was too afraid to use it ever since.

“Might be something to do with lack of superpower. Maybe the pain is not as intense as yours.” Miles shrugged his shoulders. He knew that was not true, because it had been tested before. Without any superpowers, bearing the pain wasn’t getting easier. In fact, it was much worse. With the help of superpowers, the body would get stronger. Nothing too drastic but superpowers still helped. So, they were better off when compared to regular people.

As Cale and Miles were talking, more and more people arrived. They were Cale’s buddies from the army or the station. Cale invited Miles because he was “a rare specimen”,in his words. Miles liked Cale so he came. After sitting at the table, Cale introduced them one by one and introduced Miles last.

“This is Miles Cross, my buddy. He has no superpower but has used two Strengthening serums, so if you want to try your hand against him, be my guest.” Cale said with a smirk. Obviously wanting revenge.

“Oh, could you be the youngest Cross of the Major General?” One of the handsome men asked. His name was Vigue, he was Captain in the army. When they were in the R & R program, Cale was his best friend, so despite the difference in rank, he would come and sit with Cale and his rankless friends. He was an easy-going person.

“That is indeed I.” Miles nodded. He didn’t have reason to hide.

“What! You are the grandson of the general?” One of the soldiers from the station asked with a dumbstruck face.

“Cale, why didn’t you tell us?”

“We are doomed, we are doomed!”

All of the soldiers from the station reacted as if the end of their time had come, while Cale’s old friends were looking awkwardly.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Cale asked as he looked at chuckling Miles and soldiers.

“We asked brother Miles to bring us stuff that ‘shouldn’t be in the army’” One of the soldiers said in trepidation.