Huff...

Oscar let out a long and frustrated sigh.

"What the hell is your new power?"

Pointing at me, he exclaimed with irritation.

"My spear can barely tear through... that!"

His brown eyes trailed the Shadowy armor covering my body, as an aura of darkness emanated from it.

Just a week ago he could defeat me in combat but now I am growing stronger.

Of course, he could use many of his artifacts to defeat me but that would be cheating, and he prided himself on fighting with honor.

However, were it a real fight, Oscar had no doubt he could win.

'At least, the riches give me an edge...'

Sulking he slowly stood up from the arena's floor and clenched the hilt of his spear.

"It's enough for today, isn't it?"

A grin began to spread across his face and he threw the silver spear into his Inventory.

Somehow, I instantly knew that something was wrong.

"What do you want?"

Taking a couple of steps back, I growled at him.

Although I've just beaten him in combat, I felt a sense of unease.

His eyes didn't promise anything good.

"Let's go grab some drinks~"

...

"Why the fuck do I have to tag along?"

Somehow, I found myself before the door of a dimly lit bar, surrounded by rowdy patrons and the smell of stale beer.

Oscar was right behind me, his hand wrapped around my shoulder as he chuckled.

"We are friends, aren't we? Plus you seem tense, relax... maybe even get a girl while you're at it."

He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

I could only shake my head in disbelief.

This guy has lost his mind...

Or he's simply an alcoholic and is searching for an excuse to drink.

"Let's enter!"

Pushing me forward, Oscar led the way into the noisy bar, where the clinking of glasses and boisterous conversations filled the air.

Instinctively, I scanned the room, assessing the crowd for any potential threats or familiar faces.

My Mana quickly enveloped the entire area, sensing the energy signatures of those around me.

'Only a few awakeners...'

Looking at the table in the corner of the bar, I saw a couple of figures with their cloaks drawn tightly around their bodies.

Although I couldn't see their faces, I knew all of them were awakeners like me.

For a moment, Oscar's eyes also darted toward the corner of the bar before a smile returned to his face and he led me to a table in the center of the room.

"Hello, how could I help you today?"

Suddenly, a waitress approached us with a friendly smile, her pen ready to take our drink orders.

"I'd like an appl-"

I began to speak, however, before I could finish Oscar interrupted me.

"Two whiskeys, please."

He gave me an all-knowing look and I reluctantly nodded in agreement with his choice of drink.

I unknowingly recalled the last time I drank alcohol...

It was just before I reincarnated.

'I hope I don't reincarnate again...'

Smirking to myself, I watched as two whiskey glasses were placed on the table before us.

The liquid within the glasses shimmered in the dim light, its amber hue reflecting the warm and inviting atmosphere of the bar.

"Cheers!"

Oscar lifted his glass and clinked it against mine before taking a sip.

I also followed suit, carefully bringing the glass to my lips and taking a small sip of the whiskey.

My face twisted slightly at the strong taste, but I tried to hide my discomfort and forced myself to take another sip.

Maybe I really need to relax?

Glass after glass, I began to order the liquid.

At one point even Oscar stopped drinking, observing me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"Aren't you drunk?"

Pinching my arm to check if I was still coherent, Oscar questioned my ability to hold my alcohol.

It was only normal that he began to worry though.

This was my twelfth glass of whiskey, and I showed no signs of intoxication.

It was as if...

I was immune to the effects of alcohol.

"Fuck..."

I could only curse under my breath.

Oscar brought me here to relax and I can't even get drunk.

'Could it be because...'

Suddenly, a wild idea came to my mind.

'The Cerberus fang!'

Burrowing my face in my hands, I let out a sigh.

Of course, I couldn't get drunk because of that!

Downing another glass, I looked directly at Oscar.

"I'm fine..."

Placing the empty glass back on the table, I mustered a weak smile.

"Do you want to go anywhere else?"

I began to stand up from the table and was about to go pay up when Oscar grabbed my arm gently, stopping me in my tracks.

"What?"

I spoke up with a loud voice, however, Oscar quickly placed a finger to his lips.

His eyes gestured behind me and I turned around to see the group of rowdy individuals who had just entered the bar.

From their loud laughter and aggressive demeanor, it was clear that trouble was brewing.

Unfortunately, one of them seemed to have had a bit too much to drink and was starting to cause a scene.

His eyes were drawn by the figures, sitting in the corner of the bar.

Using the last two brain cells he still had, the drunk man began to stumble toward them.

"Hey, why so mysterious?"

The drunkard slurred, his words barely coherent.

However, the figures in the corner remained unfazed.

Not only did they not react but also completely ignored his existence.

The drunk man, fueled by both alcohol and a misplaced sense of bravado, stumbled over to the figures in the corner, his slurred words growing more aggressive.

"Why ya hiding, huh? Think you're too good for the rest of us?"

He bellowed, his hand reaching out to grab the hood of one of the figures.

The hooded figures remained eerily silent, their cloaks concealing any expression or identity. It was an act of deliberate indifference, a silent provocation that only fueled the drunk man's rage.

With an unsteady hand, he attempted to yank the hood off forcefully, his face contorted into a twisted grin.

"Let's see who you really are!"

Suddenly, as if choreographed by some unseen force, one of the figures moved with lightning speed. Before anyone could react, the drunk man's hand was cleanly severed, blood spraying across the dimly lit bar.

Chaos erupted.

The man, now howling in pain, clutched his bleeding stump, his drunken friends quickly turning from raucous revelers to vengeful accomplices.

"You bastards! You're gonna pay for that!"

The hooded figures finally acknowledged the disturbance, their cloaks flowing as they stood up. Their movements were deliberate, almost languid, but there was an undeniable menace in the air.

The bar descended into pandemonium as the drunkard's friends charged at the figures, fists swinging wildly. However, the figures moved with a fluid grace that defied their seemingly passive demeanor.

Limbs were severed, bodies thrown across tables, and the metallic clang of weapons echoed in the dimly lit space. The figures, awakened and skilled in combat, made quick work of the assailants.

In the midst of the chaos, I found myself reluctantly drawn into the fray. Despite the effects of the alcohol being nullified by the Cerberus fang, my combat instincts kicked in.

I swiftly dispatched an assailant who had underestimated my abilities, realizing that even in this drunken state, I was a force to be reckoned with.

The bar, once filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses, was now a battleground. The figures in the corner, still shrouded in their mysterious cloaks, effortlessly dismantled each attacker, leaving a trail of defeated bodies in their wake.

As the last of the drunkards were subdued, the figures calmly returned to their seats, the air heavy with the metallic scent of blood.

I looked around at the chaos we had unwittingly become a part of, my mind swirling with a mix of adrenaline and the fading effects of the alcohol.

'Why was I even involved?'

Cursing under my breath, I glanced at the figures in the corner, still unsure of their true intentions.

"..."

The distant sound of police sirens grew louder, signaling the approaching end to the chaos that had unfolded in the dimly lit bar.

"We need to leave!"

As if summoned, Oscar appeared by my side and I nodded my head, running towards the nearest exit alongside him.

Before we could reach the door, however, one of the hooded figures rose from their seat, blocking our path.

"No witnesses..."

It tried to plunge a dagger into Oscar's throat, however, he deflected it with his spear and delivered a swift kick to its abdomen, sending it sprawling to the ground.

"Let's go!"

We dashed into the street, attracting the vision of some of the late-night pedestrians.

Tap... Tap...

In silence, we disappeared into the night, leaving behind the chaotic scene of violence and bloodshed.

"Don't ever invite me to these shitty bars..."

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