Lukas continued making concoction after concoction, cooking up batches of potions and poisons in the hundreds, churning out enough of them to earn multiple levels in a single day. Lukas assumed this was both due to the fact that he hadn't actually made anything in a while as well as the increased rarity of the concoctions themselves. At least it made sense to him that a better product would provide more experience.

Lukas was so lost in his crafting frenzy that he lost all track of time until Akira came looking for him in the early morning. She came by his residence every morning, as it was on the way to the training field they always used, and as usual she let herself in through the front door, expecting Lukas to be in the living room reading or playing with his new puzzle. When she didn't find him there, she went to his bedroom, also finding it empty. She then proceeded to sweep the house with her aura senses, detecting strange fluctuations in the lab.

Walking through his study and towards his lab, Akira opened the lab door, allowing a cloud of fumes to billow out. Before she could react, the fumes washed over her like a tsunami and began prickling at her skin painfully. Jumping back and away from the cloud, she peered through it, finding Lukas still hunched over his cauldron, deep in concentration. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Akira marched over to a nearby window and opened it, allowing the fumes to vent outside.

"Lukas!" she called, "Get out here, it's time for training."

Jumping in surprise, Lukas whirled around to face Akira. Putting his half-completed concoction into his inventory, he stood, "It's morning already?"

"Yes? How long have you been in there?"

Lukas scratched the back of his head as he exited the lab, looking out the now open window, "Uh, since we split up yesterday?"

"Good gods, you're something else, you know that? How do you do it?"

Lukas coughed, "I've kinda developed a one-track mind since coming to this world. There's a lot to learn and to do, you know?"

"Well, a lot to do is right, so let's get going. I want to finish the training as soon as possible so we can get to the city and grab some contracts."

Following Akira out of the house, Lukas pulled up the hundreds of notifications that awaited him. Ignoring all the ones about successful crafts, he found the ones related to levels.

Level gained: [Combat Alchemist] has reached level 28 - Stat points allocated.

Level gained: [Combat Alchemist] has reached level 29 - Stat points allocated.

Level gained: [Human (Outworlder)] has reached level 27 - Stat points allocated.

Level gained: [Combat Alchemist] has reached level 30 - Stat points allocated.

Lukas nodded in appreciation; it didn't seem like much, but three class levels and a race level in a single day were nice, especially after not gaining a single level for over a week. He was really looking forward to going hunting with Akira; not only would it give him a chance to gain some more class levels, but he could also check the efficacy of his new creations and armor. The only downside was that he'd have to go out into public again and couldn't just stay inside studying or messing with his new puzzle.

Lukas had been well aware of the looks and glances he and Akira had drawn the other day and was supremely uncomfortable under all the scrutiny. Had he not absorbed the Stone of Rebirth, his armpits and back would've been slick with sweat before they'd even entered the city. If it weren't for his mask, everyone would've been able to see the red face that made him look like a constipated toddler. He knew there was nothing to do about the feeling other than sucking it up and getting used to it, so that's what he would do. He just hoped he'd get used to the pressure over time.

A few hours later he was back in the city with Akira, and they made their way towards the adventurers' district once again. The only difference was that they were headed for the main campus of the Adventure Society.

As they walked, Akira explained how the society worked in greater detail, "Once you're a full member, you'll have access to the contracts hall. It's pretty much just a building full of boards covered in different job postings. When you find a job you want, you can claim it with your membership crystal. The posting will disappear, and the details of the job will be stored in your crystal. After that you're good to go."

"What if someone can't complete a contract or just doesn't want to?"

"Well, it's their job to complete it; it's not like someone's just going to take a contract, then not attempt to finish it out. And if they can't complete it for whatever reason, there's a deadline that needs to be met before the contract will automatically be unassigned and become available in the contracts hall again. Failing to complete a contract results in a loss of reputation that can make it harder to get accepted for the better contracts and promotions."

"There's a reputation system? What's that like?"

"Jobs can give 'reputation'; the more difficult ones give more. It takes some time to work up to the good contracts just because of how little reputation you get from the lower level contracts, but the progress snowballs after a certain point. It's one of the incentives to complete contracts instead of just giving up."

"Okay. So what about when someone does complete a contract?"

"Your crystal will log the kill and mark the contract as completed. From there you go back to the contracts hall and turn in the contract; you'll have to fill out a small report, but after that you'll get paid."

"Can anyone become a member of the Adventure Society? From what I've gathered it seems like a great way to make a living and to get stronger."

"Equipment can be expensive and not everyone wants to put their lives on the line. There are other paths to power after all. And usually there's an assessment people have to take to get accepted. You'd go out with other hopefuls and an official or two and complete contracts. It's not all that hard, they just want to make sure you know what you're doing, understand what the job is, and that you're not going to make a big mess while trying to clean up a small one."

"So I'll be taking this assessment?" Lukas asked.

"No," Akira snorted, disgruntled, "that's just what people usually do. Some prospective members can be sponsored by a person who's already a member in good standing and has a high enough reputation within the Adventure Society. These people get a smaller, more personalized assessment. You'll just do some contracts with a member before doing one or two with an official so they know you aren't some dimwit trying to sneak onto the rolls. Obviously, this is how you'll join the society for multiple reasons."

'So kind of like getting a driver's permit and license, got it,' Lukas thought to himself.

As the adventurers' district drew nearer and people wearing armor and equipment became more prevalent, Akira leaned over toward Lukas, "You should leak a small amount of your aura instead of just keeping it clamped down like that."

"What? Won't that just draw even more attention to us? I don't know if you've noticed, but my aura and soul are more than a little anomalous even with the aura mask I have on, and the last thing I want is for even more people to be looking at me."

"I want you to do it for your aura power. You don't have to blast out your aura, just loosen up your control enough to allow the ability to take effect. It might get us a bit more attention, but the unease and slightly ill effect of your aura causes will make people wary of you."

"I don't know…" Lukas said hesitantly.

"Didn't you want to be the mysterious and unapproachable guy? Your new armor helps with that, but your aura ability should be the focal point. With it, people will associate you with an uneasy feeling, and will steer clear."

Lukas grumbled a bit more, but was ultimately brought around and slowly loosened the iron grip he held on his aura. Akira was able to feel the effect right away, and to her it was as if a fresh, cool breeze was swept through her, the sensation only growing as Lukas' aura became less restricted.

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She had felt his aura a few times before, but during those times she'd only received the bad end of it and knew just how disconcerting it was to feel ill out of nowhere. She'd also felt his aura in a more neutral state, as though Lukas didn't see her as a friend or an enemy, so she wasn't affected at all. This was the first time she had gotten to experience the positive side of his ability, and she had to admit it was a nice feeling. It was as though any and all maledictions were dispelled from her body, leaving her feeling refreshed and ready to fight.

Soon enough other people began to feel the effects as those around them began to pale and take on queasy expressions, especially those on the weaker side. Before long there was a fairly sizable bubble around Lukas and Akira as other people passed around them like a stream around a rock. It was as though they were all subconsciously avoiding them. Despite the distance people were still being affected; they were just avoiding the worst areas, those closest to Lukas.

As the pair entered the heart of the adventurers' district they began to draw more attention as more and more people began recognizing Akira. Despite all the attention, no one seemed willing to make an approach or come within fifty meters of the pair, much to Lukas' relief. But while no one came up to them, that didn't stop them from talking about them. Even with perception being one of his lowest stats, he still had more than enough to pick up some of the things whispered between team members and friends.

They wanted to know who the stranger with the wealthy and powerful Akira Anuk was.

***

Inside the contracts hall in the heart of the Adventure Society campus, Andrea, Kalic, Derek, and Naiome were scanning one of the various mission boards, looking for a decent job they could do as a team. They'd spent weeks slogging through lower-tier contracts and training to fight with different compositions and strategies. Now it was time to put what they'd learned to good use by hunting down beasts more powerful than themselves.

It wouldn't be their first time taking on stronger monsters—the badgermole they'd faced on their way to the city being one such time. That time in particular was one of the worst, however, mostly due to Andrea rushing out from behind cover to charge the beast before they had any sort of plan. This led to a chaotic fight that left them with more than a few injuries. In Andrea's defense, she had felt like she'd been filled with stimulants, a berserking potion or two, and truly felt alive for the first time in her life. To this day she still had no idea what had caused the change; she could vividly remember her mind being completely blank before a switch was thrown and everything was suddenly vibrant and alive.

Now, things were different. The team had strove to improve and be the best they could, formulated strategies and plans for a multitude of potential threats, and were generally more experienced than they had been months prior. Going out now, they had every confidence in their ability to handle superior foes without paying the price in major injuries.

They were looking at taking contracts that would take them to the southeast, somewhere between the medium and high-tier regions where they could push themselves. They had already come across a few interesting contracts, but were struggling to find one that wasn't too far beyond their limits.

"What about this one?" Andrea asked, pointing out a posting on the board.

The others glanced over and read its contents, before Derek shook his head, "We don't have any experience fighting stone elementals," he pointed out, "I don't think it would be wise to take on a group of them, especially if they're all stronger than us."

"How about this one then?" Kalic suggested, gesturing to a different job.

"A rusker variant?" Naiome read aloud, "It could be interesting, but…"

She trailed off as an unsettling feeling spread across the hall. It wasn't much, more subtle than not, but everyone noticed it. The team frowned or grimaced, Andrea herself feeling like she'd eaten something bad for breakfast, throwing her off. It was a strange sensation considering she hadn't actually eaten anything for the last two days. Knowing something was up, she, like everyone else in the hall, looked around warily for the source of the feeling.

Before she could investigate the strange feeling further, a commotion at the front doors pulled her from her thoughts, as all eyes turned towards the newcomers. Murmurs began to spread as the ever-elegant Akira Anuk strode in with a strange man in black armor and a mask at her side. The pair walked tall and confident with purposeful strides, barely sparing the crowd around them a glance.

Andrea watched the two with some interest, the same as everyone else, until the man began looking around, taking in the crowd. Then his gaze landed on her. His piercing orange eyes met hers, and it was like she'd been frozen in amber as everything around her seemed to slow to a crawl. She felt suffocated as those eyes bore straight through her, a weight settling on her body and soul like the world itself had been set upon her.

'What is this man?'

When their eyes finally parted, it felt like an eternity had passed, but in reality their eyes had met for no more than a brief second as he glanced around the room.

"Who is that?" Andrea heard herself say.

"Obviously that's Akira Anuk; as for the man with her, I can't say," Kalic answered, shaking his head, "I've been hearing things for the last few days, though."

"Oh?" Naiome asked.

"Nothing much, really, just something about a strange man seen with the young mistress. No one seems to know anything about him or where he came from. It's almost as if he came out of nowhere."

"He seems kind of familiar," Naiome said thoughtfully, grabbing Andrea's attention and pulling her out of her stupor.

Had Naiome felt that same thing she had? If so, then why hadn't she reacted like Andrea had—

"I think we've met him before," Derek said as he continued to watch the two make their way through the contract hall.

"We did?" Naiome frowned.

"Remember that contract we did together a few weeks back, the one where we ran into a pack of sky gliders?"

Naiome's face lit up with recognition, "You're right! Are you sure that's him though?"

"Whoa, hang on, what happened?" Andrea butted in, desperate to hear more about the stranger.

"A few weeks ago the two of us got attacked by a group of sky gliders after completing a contract. We were still pretty uncoordinated and were left pretty injured. When we made it back to the main road, a wagon pulled over and the driver asked if we needed any help or wanted a ride back into the city."

"There was another guy with him," Derek picked up, "He had the exact same mask as the guy who just walked in. He was wearing blood-soaked rags and looked worse off than the two of us combined, but he gave us some potions. We tried to decline, saying we didn't have the money, but he just gave us the potions for free and said he had plenty more."

"He just gave you free potions?" Kalic asked with a skeptical frown.

"Yeah," Naiome nodded, "They weren't tampered with or anything, just normal old potions. They weren't the greatest, but definitely better than we could have afforded at the time."

"And you think that's the same guy?" Andrea asked.

"I'm certain," Derek said, "What are the odds that someone has the exact same high-quality mask and amber eyes?"

"Amber eyes," Andrea muttered, remembering the feeling of being frozen in time.

"It's definitely him," Naiome agreed, "My question is why he was in such a terrible state when we met him the first time, if he's associating with a family like the Anuks."

"Maybe it's a training exercise they have their family members do? Have them go out on their own to see if they have what it takes," Andrea suggested.

Kalic shook his head, "No, from what I've heard about the family, their dedication to getting stronger is unmatched, but at the same time they're always fair in their dealings. I can't see them putting their own through such a thing. Besides, if he was really a part of the family, then his existence would have been known by now, but no one seems to know who he is."

"You don't think he's a part of the Anuk family?" Naiome asked.

"He could be," the scalekin shrugged, "Maybe he's some important branch member from another city."

"But surely someone important enough to be seen with the future matriarch's daughter on multiple occasions would be known."

"Maybe. Who's to say? Maybe it is someone that people do know under that mask, or maybe it's some suitor from faraway lands. His aura doesn't give anything away; in fact, I can't feel it at all."

"Me neither," Derek shook his head, "In general he feels strong, but is obviously a freshly-minted copper ranker. He must have exquisite aura control or a decently strong soul to hide his aura completely, even from us."

"Speaking of auras," Andrea said, "We're guessing that the guy has some sort of aura ability? I doubt what we felt came from the Anuk lady."

"Most definitely," Derek nodded, "And one that reduces resistances. That, along with the potions he gave Naiome and me, makes me think he's an alchemist."

"An alchemist?" Andrea asked, surprised, "What makes you so sure?"

"Well, for starters, someone with an ability to reduce resistances is going to be using poison, curses, and other such things. Otherwise, why would they have such a skill? Also, the potions he gave us weren't anything special; in fact, I don't see someone attached to such a prestigious family walking around with potions of such quality. The only reason I can think of is that he made them himself; it would also explain what he meant when he said he had plenty more of them."

"Hmm, what do you think, Kal?"

"It's a possibility, but I don't know. We don't know enough about this man to say anything for certain, and I think we should keep ourselves out of it. Trying to stick our noses into the business of an aristocratic family isn't a smart thing to do, not at our current rank and not so far from home."

"Kal's right," Naiome agreed, "Best not to create any trouble for ourselves. Besides, I'm sure more information about that guy will come out soon enough; the rumor mill is always churning."

"You're right," Andrea said, though she couldn't help but want to dig deeper into just who the mysterious man was and why locking eyes with him had had such an effect on her.

Throwing a look across the hall, she stared at the man whose back was turned to her, 'Just who is that?'

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