Even Heroes age.

It was a simple fact—one Adam still hadn’t fully accepted, mostly because all the people close to him were Heroes.

There were exceptions, of course. Some aged slower than others, depending on the nature of the abilities granted to them by the Game. Chike was the most well-known example—an X-tier Hero who hadn’t visibly aged in over a decade.

And now, learning that this other, Earth-like world had been fighting the Game for more than a hundred years...

Adam didn’t know what to do with that information.

Would you still be fighting after a hundred years, Adam? Would that mean watching everyone die—again and again and again? Dr. Tomoe. Katherine. Clementine. Sylvie. Beatrice.

All of them...

Gone.

"You okay, man? You went quiet all of a sudden."

"Hm...? Oh."

Adam blinked, pulled back from his spiraling thoughts by Harvey’s voice. Harvey was holding a red metal bar, his other arm hanging loosely at his side—but not entirely limp like usual.

They were inside a smithy now, with Bagani touring them through the village.

Harvey had been curious about the awa metal—whether it could weaken Heroes from another world as well. Judging by the way his usually flexible arm lagged behind his movements, it seemed like it could.

"Awa metal, huh..." Adam picked up a piece himself and opened his status.

Sure enough, some of his attributes had dipped. Not by much—nothing that really mattered. The effect seemed to lean more toward special abilities, and Adam... didn’t really have one in the traditional sense.

The Game hadn’t given him an ability. It had turned him into something else—a super Creep.

...That sounds wrong. Shut up.

"...I don’t get it," Harvey muttered. "If you guys had this, you could’ve used it against us. Maybe even stood a chance. Wait... did that Bala guy use this against Beatrice?"

<No. Everything we have is already here,> Bagani replied. <We used it in the most efficient way possible—a cage. If we make weapons from it, the wielder would be affected as well.>

"...Couldn’t you just make guns out of it?"

<Guns? What are guns?>

"...Right." Harvey scratched his head. "Like a crossbow, then? Or... wait. Wait—a chain net?"

<Arrows would be wasteful, no? And a chain net would require too much material.>

"Yeah..." Harvey let out a small breath. "You guys really need modern smithing." He glanced at Bagani again, then blinked. "Damn. B’s translator is kicking in hard. You’re speaking in full sentences now."

<It is the same for me. I can now understand you clearly,> Bagani said. <Perhaps now, my apology will be more sincere.>

One of his knees began to bend.

"Woah—hey, no. None of that." Harvey quickly grabbed him by the arms and pulled him back up. "That’s Adam-type stuff. We don’t do that here."

He let go, then glanced around. "We’ve probably stayed here long enough. Should we check on the doc? See if they’re done with the shots, man? Bro...?"

Both Harvey and Bagani turned toward Adam when he didn’t respond... and found him quietly bending the slab of awa in his hands.

No. Not just bending it. He had already looped it and was now fastening it around his wrist.

"What... the fuck are you doing, man?" Harvey slowly lowered the piece of metal in his hand, staring at Adam like he’d lost his mind. "Is this some BDSM shit? Because if it is... that’s fucking genius. We could sell this to Hero–normie couples."

"Oh." Adam finally noticed the two staring at him and quickly straightened the bent slab, sliding it off his wrist. "I was just... testing something. Should we check how they’re doing outside?"

"That’s... literally what I just said."

They headed back toward the vaccination site, only to be stopped the moment they got close. Katherine didn’t even let them step in properly before pushing them back out, glaring at the two.

"Go take a walk."

"I’ll just... stand to the side," Adam offered. "Maybe I can help—"

"No." Katherine immediately raised a finger, pressing it lightly against the tip of his nose. "That would make them even more nervous than they already are. Some of them think we’re forcing the vaccine on them just because you’re here, standing around looking like that."

"I’m just standing?" Adam muttered, gesturing toward Harvey. "He’s also standing."

"Yeah, but he didn’t manhandle their champion," Katherine shot back. "And from what I’ve heard, their chief already warned them about exile, or worse, if they offend you, so..."

"What...?" Adam turned, instinctively searching for the chief. The dignified old man met his gaze for half a second—then immediately looked away.

"...Right."

"Look, just go," Katherine said, waving him off. "We’re about eighty-five percent done anyway. Come back in an hour or something." She adjusted her mask and waved Adam and Harvey away. "Go. Shoo."

Adam exhaled, already turning away. "Fine. We’ll just be at the tavern."

***

"Let me out! Let me out this instant!"

Somewhere deeper within the Leak’s affected area, Bala slammed his boots against the awa cage, the metal ringing dully with each strike. But alas, the structure held firm. The only thing that moved was the cart holding it.

They were deep inside a forest, close enough that Bala could see the edge of the dome only he and the otherworlders could see.

"Shut up!" One of the guards struck the bars with the sheath of his blade, his voice sharp with anger. "You dare give orders after nearly getting us all killed?!"

"Killed?!" Bala grabbed the bars, fingers tightening around the metal. "Since when did you all become cowards? You let the enemy walk our land, drink our ale? I fought for this country!"

"We all did," the second guard snapped. "My son died for it when the gods called him. You’re the only fool here who nearly got mothers and daughters killed. What were you thinking, charging a demon like that? No—worse. You attacked them from behind!"

"We are at war!"

"War?" The first guard slammed his sheath against the bars again, harder this time. "You ran the moment you saw the darkening color of that portal! You’re the coward!"

"Just let him be." The second guard stepped closer, his expression twisting with contempt as he leaned toward the cage.

"You’ve always been a fool, Bala," he said quietly. "You became an anito, and suddenly you think you’re above the rest of us." His eyes narrowed. "That power you have... you don’t deserve it. Not even a little."

He leaned in further.

"Tell me something. If we let you out right now... what would you do?" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"I..." Bala’s voice came out low—too low.

The guard frowned, leaning closer. "What? Speak up."

No answer.

"Do not tell me your tongue had become as soft as your dick!" he growled, grabbing the bars. "Speak!"

But even with the guard’s breath hot against his face and his spit showering, Bala didn’t raise his voice. Not even a little. Instead, he leaned in closer, making the guard do the same.

"You really have no—"

The guard never finished.

"All hail King Felipe!" Bala roared, surging forward. His hand shot through the bars, fingers locking around the guard’s throat as he yanked him closer. In the same motion, he tore the man’s sword from its sheath.

The guard barely had time to widen his eyes.

"You serve under the enem—"

Steel slid through his neck, and his body went slack in Bala’s grip before collapsing to the ground.

"What have you done?!" The remaining guard stumbled back, drawing his weapon—only to freeze when he saw Bala’s hand already reaching for the keys hanging from his dead comrade’s waist. His grip tightened, then faltered.

"Traitor! The people will know what you’ve done!"

He turned and ran.

In a single motion, he climbed onto the cart and mounted one of the horses, fumbling with the reins as he kicked the latch free on both horses.

"Hyah!"

The second horse was slapped hard, sent running in the other direction as the guard spurred his own mount forward, ensuring Bala would be left without a horse.

But Bala only scoffed as he the cage clicked open. By the time the guard glanced back, Bala was already stepping out.

The sword in his hand rose in the air—then snapped forward.

It didn’t even show a single arc as it shot toward the guard. But the guard reacted just in time, throwing himself off the horse. He twisted in the air, narrowly avoiding the blade as it tore past him... and sadly buried itself deep into the skull of the horse he had just abandoned.

The animal dropped instantly.

The guard hit the ground, rolled, then sprang forward without hesitation—landing cleanly onto the second horse he freed.

"Gods—who is that?" Bala spat, his teeth grinding as he watched the man disappear between the trees, weaving through the forest. "No... I can’t let him reach the chief."

He didn’t hesitate. Bala took off after him, tearing through the underbrush as he gave chase, racing the fleeing soldier back toward the village.