Tasha gravitated toward the sword section, glancing and admiring the many sets of blades. She wandered around, trying to choose a suitable blade, but she didn’t know how. Everything was just too aweso.
Then after a while of exploring, she stumbled upon an elegant B‑rank longsword with a crystalline guard. Its edges shimred as if channeling static electricity. She paused and stared at the sword for a mont. Then she took and swung it experintally, veins of blue light dancing across the blade as it cut through the air.
She gripped the hilt tightly, and a static jolt raced up her arm. "Perfect," she whispered, amazent softening her usual edge.
Jessica wandered to a set of B-rank wind fans, dual blades carved like gusting currents. She spun one of the blades carefully, and air stirred in playful whirlwinds around her. Her eyes widened in delight. "I never imagined blades like these."
Penolope approached with a smile. "It’s built specifically for wind ability users. I think it will serve you well." she stated
Jessica smirked. " too."
anwhile, Cassandra lingered before a spear, its shaft carved in ember patterns. She traced a fingertip along its length and looked over at Jayden, who was walking towards her.
He smiled. "Can you use a spear?"
She chuckled. "Not really. Mum said it was dad’s favourite weapon. And I’ve also liked it since i was a kid. But I never got the chance to learn."
Jayden lifted an eyebrow, a slow smile forming. "I could teach you... if you want?"
Cassandra nodded, softly. "I’d like that." she muttered with a grateful smile.
Tasha frowned from several feet away, having overhead their conversation. She was not happy with developnt at all. To her, Cassandra chose a spear simply to get closer to Jayden... which is kinda, sowhat true.
Penelope stepped forward seeing as everyone had already chosen a weapon of their choice.,She scanned each choice with approving eyes. "All excellent selections. Plenty of potential here to grow."
The four teenagers smiled and thanked her in unison. Then they left the room, heading out of the building with newly acquired weapons. All B-Rank.
As the car ascended, Penelope suggested sothing. "Hey, why don’t I take you guys for a treat?"
Jayden hesitated. Penelope had already given them extrely powerful and expensive weapons. Weapons that even so rich people on earth couldn’t afford. But before he could speak up.
"I won’t take no for an answer." Penolope added, having seen Jayden’s hesitating gaze
He sighed in defeat. "Sure. A treat that sounds great."
The girls agreed as well.
Penelope clapped happily. "Alright then, let’s go." she said, before soaring into the sky
Penelope drove the group to a popular fast-food galodge... Galaxy Bites. Neon signs crowned the building; inside, holographic nus and mood lighting proclaid a futuristic diner-ets-lounge.
They took a long, round booth. Plates arrived fast: juicy fla-grilled burgers with spicy aioli, crisp onion rings, neon-blue milkshakes, and sweet potato fries. Hot steam curled in the air.
But beneath the jaunty chatter, another current flowed...
Cassandra sat close to Jayden, leaning in as she ate. She laughed at his jokes, brushed her leg against his under the table—small gestures that drew Jayden’s attention.
As Jayden responded to Cassandra’s teasing, Tasha’s smile tightened. She reached for Jayden’s arm, intertwining fingers sharply, then flashed him a look, asking for his focus. He glanced her way but saw Cassandra’s amused smirk too. Tasha’s heart sank, anger and jealousy glowered behind her eyes.
Jessica, more subtle, wrapped her napkin in Jayden’s direction, accidentally pressing paper to his hand. Their eyes t—Jessica blinked, shy smile playing on her lips.
Jayden felt the pull in every direction. He looked at Penelope, ready to pivot, but she gently sipped her drink, watching the girls with patient awareness.
The tension dipped and rose like a fevered tide. Words grew quieter, movents careful—Tasha never let go of Jayden’s arm, Cassandra never let Jayden drift too far, Jessica hovered nearby. Each connection carved emotional fissures.
The air was thick with unsaid emotions. It was a battle of... whatever the fuck you want to call it.
anwhile, Penelope just stared at them in amusent. She found their actions cute. And she also realised sothing... Tasha and Jessica definitely did not see Jayden as a ’brother’. It was obvious that they were intimate with him.
And that made her wonder.
"Does Harleen and Jake know about this?" she thought. But then she shrugged. "I’m sure they know. They’re probably just acting like they don’t."
Then her gaze lingered back to Jayden and the lovestruck girls. Tasha and Cassandra were busy trying to stuff Jayden’s mouth with fries, while Jessica played with his fingers.
Penolope chuckled and the sight of it all. She could see how much the girls cared for Jayden. And even though one part of her wanted to act all sappy around Jayden to show that she cared as well. To ascertain her position as a ’loved one’. While another part wanted to act mature and remain dormant for the main ti.
And in the end, she chose the latter.
The neon lights of the diner flickered as the group finished their al, the playful tension still simring beneath the surface. Tasha hadn’t let go of Jayden’s arm the entire ti, her grip tightening whenever Cassandra leaned too close. Jessica, ever the quiet observer, had subtly shifted closer to Jayden’s side.
Cassandra, for her part, seed to enjoy the chaos she was causing, her smirk never fading as she teased Jayden with lingering touches and whispered comnts.
Penelope, the silent orchestrator of it all, simply watched with amusent, sipping her milkshake like she was enjoying a private show.
Eventually, the plates were cleared, the last of the milkshakes drained. Penelope paid the bills before standing.
"Alright," she said, stretching her arms. "Ti to head back."
The group piled into Penelope’s hovercar, the hum of the engine filling the silence as they sped through the city. The ride back was quieter than the trip there, the earlier energy replaced with sothing more subdued.
When they finally pulled up to Jayden’s house, Tasha was the first to step out, grabbing her newly acquired weapon from the backseat. She gave Penelope a curt nod.
"Thanks for the food, Miss Isley. And the weapon. We really appreciate."
Jessica followed, her movents graceful as she retrieved her weapon and offered Penelope a small smile.
"Yeah, we’re really grateful for everything," she said. "And the outing was fun. We should do it again soti."
Then she turned to Cassandra, who was still lounging in the passenger seat, and waved. "Bye, Cassie."
Cassandra smirked and winked. "Bye, Jessica. Good luck with the tournant." she muttered, to which Jessica responded with a "You too" and left.
Jayden was the last to exit, slinging his jacket over his shoulder. He turned to Penelope, nodding appreciatively.
"Thanks for everything, Penelope. The weapons an a lot to us." he said.
Penelope dismissed him with a wave. "It’s nothing. You just let know if you need anything, okay?"
Jayden nodded with a smile. "Sure. See you later," he waved. And he was about to walk away when Penelope called out.
"Jayden."
He paused, glancing back.
Penelope leaned out the window, resting her chin on her hand. "I hope you didn’t forget about our second date? Afterall, you were the one who suggested it." she chuckled.
Jayden smiled wrly. He had completely forgotten about that. He’d been so occupied with hunting.
"Um... not at all." he muttered.
Penolope smiled. "Good. So this Sunday then?"
Jayden pondered for a while before responding. "Sunday sounds great." he said.
Penelope’s face lit up. "Lovely. et at my house by seven. Don’t be late."
Jayden smirked. "Got it."
Cassandra let out an exaggerated sigh from the passenger seat. "Ugh, can we go now?"
Penelope rolled her eyes, then gave Jayden one last amused look before the hovercar’s engine purred to life, carrying her and Cassandra away.
Jayden watched them go before turning and heading inside.
Up in his room, Jayden locked the door behind him and pulled the dagger he’d gotten from Penelope’s armory out of his jacket pocket. The blade glead under the soft glow of his desk lamp, its edge razor-sharp, the hilt wrapped in dark leather with faint ember-like engravings running along the steel.
He activated the Inspect function of his skill, and a familiar set of info appeared.
______
*Na: Ember’s Blade
*Rank: B
*Stat Boost: 20 Agility, 40 Speed, 10 Perception
*Skill: Dash: Upon activation, the user can perform a short, high-speed burst of movent in a chosen direction (5-second cooldown)
Jayden exhaled with a grin, clearly impressed by the daggers effect. He wasn’t the type to rely on weapons... he preferred his fists, but this was too good to pass up. The Dash skill alone was worth it, not to ntion the stat boosts.
He had inspected the dagger’s info earlier at Penelope’s armory. And that was the reason he chose it.
He turned the blade over in his hands, testing its weight. Perfectly balanced.
With a satisfied nod, he stored it in his Inventory, the dagger vanishing into his system’s storage space.
Then he turned to his desktop, pulling up research on various beasts and their abilities. If he was going to steal.. Cough* acquire the abilities of beasts. He needed to know what those abilities are, and how they work.
Hours passed in silence, the only sounds the clicking of keys and the occasional rustle of papers.
By the ti he finally leaned back, rubbing his eyes, the sky outside had darkened completely.
Night had fallen.
Another day over.
Another step forward.
Jayden shut his laptop and stretched, rolling his shoulders. Tomorrow would be another grind—another chance to get stronger.
But for now, he needed sleep. And without even considering dinner, he plopped unto the bed, flicked off the light, and slowly went into a slumber.
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