The Earth After Rebirth

Since they'd postponed going into another dungeon, Kiro was walking around the Capital's market. He was there to buy his beasts some nutritional meals, they've been worked to the bone they at least deserved a treat for it.

Aeron offered to tag along, so he was being dragged from one shop to another. He wanted more than anything to be friendly with his father's boss's son.

"Why are you barefoot?"

"Why not? They don't get dirty." He shrugged, picking up a second staff and trying dual wielding.

This made Ryu protest in anger, with a higher vibration than ever, he threatened to shake the entirety of Asgard.

"Calm down buddy, I'm not gonna replace you. I'm just trying something out."

Though that didn't seem to calm him down and Kiro accidentally dropped him. The staff continued to vibrate, until there was two of his weapon.

He scratched his head, "I didn't know you could do that." He went to pick him up. "Though I have to say, I don't like how possessive you are."

'Is he talking to his weapon?' Aeron was starting to think Kiro wasn't all in there.

Kiro noticed how he was looking at him, "I'm not insane, he's a sentient weapon. He understands, watch."

He commanded his staff to expand and Ryu didn't disappoint. Happy that his master was giving him commands.

"Wow!" Was all he managed to get out, he'd never even heard of such. "Wait, watch out." Aeron attempted to push Kiro out of harms way so he could get the full blast of the attack.

But with his senses, little managed to go unnoticed. He quickly grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and yanked Aeron back to safety, while using his other hand to block the weapon.

"Stupid idiot, you almost killed him!"

"Good to see you, my nemesis." He pushed back his weapon, Kiro nearly moved.

"Can't say the same." He let out an exasperated breath.

Viktor seemed to materialise out of thin air. It was almost as if he could sniff out Kiro's scent wherever he was. It wasn't the first time he'd done this after the guild wars, while he didn't mind the challenges they were annoying at times.

"This time it'll be—"

"Shut your mouth." He put his all onto his fist, the second it connected with his head he was knocked out cold. "Dammit, if you're so weak don't do this!"

Hot mist came out of his nostrils, he still wanted to stomp him, possibly to death but Aeron was able to get him away from the unconscious body to cool down.

"Uh, should I help him?"

"No—Yes."

Viktor got up from the ground after Aeron's help. He was extremely embarrassed, the gap between them never seem to close. Every time he thought he caught up, Kiro had somehow gotten even stronger.

"You're a monster." He said sheepishly, his arrogant attitude thwarted.

"That, I am."

"How do you manage to best me every time?" He asked seriously.

"You think while you're off levelling up, I'm just waiting for you to catch up?"

His shoulders slumped, he felt idiotic to think that Kiro would remain stagnant while he was growing stronger. He wanted to punch himself in the mouth for never considering something so obvious.

Kiro pulled up his screen and made a call.

"Hiro, how much are we selling those potions for again?" He thought he may have forgotten the details.

"We didn't—"

He cut him off immediately, "Oh what's that? fifty thousand gold? Send me some. Remember that goof who challenged me during the guild wars? I think he's a perfect candidate."

Hiro chuckled at his apparently good business sense.

"Sure. You should also consider those guys, Chasing Madness."

A cold sweat ran on Viktor's temple, the way Kiro looked at him made him uneasy. Like he was a piece of meat, he knew it in his heart, he was about to be exploited. He backed away slowly, tripping on his own feet and landing on his behind.

"Why are you running? I'm not gonna do anything to you." He said smiling innocently, walking towards their first customer.

But Viktor wasn't seeing an innocent smile. He felt like prey, and this predator was going to swallow him whole if he didn't escape.

"Wait, I—"

"Do you want to be as strong as me?"

Viktor's demeanor suddenly changed. He quickly got up from the ground, dusting himself. A serious look on his face.

"You better not be playing around."

Kiro whipped out one of the potions, dangling it in front of him. His eyes darted back and forth, following the vial whichever direction it went. It looked so small and uninteresting, he couldn't see how this would make him stronger.

"And for only fifty thousand—"

"Clearly a scam, not interested." He answered coldly.

"Hey Aeron, buff him."

Viktor was never one of the fastest players in the game, but he jumped back relatively fast thinking that meant an attack. He was surprised to feel power welling up inside his entire body.

Kiro blinked in front of him, intending to shatter his jaw with his knee. But thanks to the buff, Viktor dodged the kick and blocked the oncoming punch.

It surprised him how he was able to see everything clearly, most of all react to it in time to withstand Kiro's hits. He could tell that he was barely holding back, his hits were much stronger than he remembered.

But here he was withstanding all of this, though he didn't have enough power to fight him on equal footing, he was still able to dodge and block.

"Convinced yet?"

Kiro was glad Aeron wanted to come along, now selling these would be a lot easier when they could give the people they were selling to a taste of the power the true blood potion could grant them.

"Fifty you said? I'll take two!" He was already eyeing it dangerously, ready to rip it off Kiro's hands.

"No, just one. Taking this means taking on heavy duties around Asgard, sometimes you'll be transported wherever you're needed.

"The potion also takes about 72 hours to awaken your true blood, so you'll need to take my word for it. We aren't selling these to just anyone, so don't go around being an idiot about it."

"You're suddenly a talker, just give it."