I jumped through the trees, warping when necessary.
The air was starting to become cleaner.
Or rather, it was a different kind of disgusting thing in the air.
The dust, rot and other such smells slowly vanished, replaced by smoke and chemicals.
I knew I wasn't far now, the outskirts were just a few kilometers away.
I had decided to return first, perhaps check up on a few acquaintances.
Perhaps some still lived, and perhaps even had a better life for themselves.
Then, I would start staying in the dream realm.
It was clear that staying in the waking world wouldn't be ideal.
Especially if the government was actually after me.
I would be spotted sooner or later.
Now I needed time to grow, to learn, to evolve.
The waking world would slow me down.
I also needed to acquire something.
A thing that is very expensive, but necessary.
A "dream pod".
It would keep my body in its shape, as well as keep me from starvation and such things.
Sadly, it didn't stop aging. Not as if I had that problem. I had probably gotten an extra year or so added.
Which was nice, and terrifying.
The thought of outliving everything and everyone was a possibility after all.
I hummed silently, hair whipping against my face.
I might just stop using the dagger once I get an equally great melee option.
I nodded to myself, then doubled my speed.
It was time to rob someone, or perhaps just a big ass company.
Of course, the academy was off the table. I would get an actual army chasing me.
Finally, the goals aligned.
First: find any past acquaintances.
Second: get a dream pod.
Third: stay in the dream realm as much as possible.
A smile grew on my face. I had come a long way. Even if I have never attended school. I was learning math, the spell's runic language. And a bunch of other things related to combat.
I didn't even really study. Just reading up on math from time to time.
It was mostly instinctual, perhaps [blasphemer] was giving me more than just a sentence. Which I wouldn't mind.
At least it didn't try to make me jump off a cliff from sheer pain now. At least I hope it won't do that again.
***
I moved through the alleyways, my form obscured in shadows.
I have already been searching for my past "friends" for several hours now. Not a single one in sight.
Of course, the chances of their deaths were likely. Kids didn't last long. Especially the ones like me, with no one even having taught them math.
A problem, one that wouldn't get solved any time soon.
My scowl deepened at the thought of the outskirts' current situation. The people were suffering, not just in food, but in education.
Of course, now that I have some brains. I knew what was happening.
It was the "sacrifice the few for the many" situation.
And so the outskirts suffered. And the NSQC itself grew.
My eyes narrowed in anger. But I clenched the feeling down.
I couldn't make a single mistake. I could not be spotted.
Finally, after several more hours of looking, I found no one.
The outskirts have thinned out slightly as well, around seven months of starvation killing the people little by little.
I turned away silently, towards NSQC.
It was time to hunt for the pod. A much harder, time-consuming task.
A necessary one.
I warped inside a warehouse, making sure to avoid possible camera placements.
I rummaged through the boxes, finding dark and baggy clothes. Making sure to grab a hoodie as well.
After a few minutes of changing, I was now far more acceptable in this doomed society.
Now, it was time to scout.
This would be dangerous.
I realized quickly that stealing from a company would attract too much unnecessary attention.
So robbing people it is.
Of course, it wasn't as simple as just warping inside every house, checking for a pod.
I would need to scout.
Goals aligned once again.
First: blend into the crowd.
Second: find any awakened who frequently leaves their home.
Third: scout out the house once no one is home.
Another three-step plan formed, my eyes glistening.
I hadn't stolen anything in a long time; hopefully, I haven't gotten rusty.
Then I warped, appearing in an empty alleyway.
I walked into the crowd of people, warping a few visible purses into my large hoodie's pocket.
And now I was officially rich, at least for now.
I walked into another alleyway, checking the few purses I had gotten.
All cards. Most useless. A single purse had a piece of paper with the code written down.
"Stupid" I snorted out. I was surprised people haven't fully moved to just using communication payment methods.
It was far safer from thieves such as myself.
But I guess, the internet itself has some dangerous people. Able to destroy lives with mere information.
Hackers, or whatever they were called.
I walked silently through the crowd, avoiding every figure with ease.
My gaze scanned every face. Searching for the easily recognizable more handsome or pretty face, and of course, their presence.
No one could fully remove their presence after all, it was quite literally, impossible.
I sat down on a bench, a lollipop in my mouth, the sugar was nice. Gave me some energy. And flavour was a blessing to my abused tongue.
I almost shuddered at the thought of the stuff I've had to eat in my life.
Worst of all, the paste. It couldn't even be considered food. More like a military ration, for everyone.
The taste was disgusting. The texture was disgusting. And the sound it made when you squeezed the tube was disgusting.
I might just kill the man who came up with it. If they were even alive by this point.
Which I doubted.
Mundane life expectancy had dropped by twenty or so years.
Awakened weren't that high either, but we did have superpowers.
Not to mention the life span itself being a lot longer.
There were apparently some saints who were from the time the spell descended. Which happened eighty or so years back.
So if a Saint could live a hundred years. A full century. How long would I live if I reached such a level? My [Vamparic dagger] would boost such a number far higher.
My mind jumped from topic to topic, eating Lollipops like they were healthy, all the while.
Then my eyes caught it. A figure, barely noticeable in the crowd. Perhaps a sleeper, maybe an awakened.
Their stature was small, and I couldn't make out any details.
The figure closed the door, locking it behind him.
Then he walked off.
I raised a brow, I had found my first target.
I stayed in the same place for another two hours. Now licking the 30th or so lollipop. This candy was amazing.
Especially all the different flavors.
Then, finally, the figure returned, carrying a bag in each hand.
I stayed put, making sure not to visibly look at the house's direction.
Then I saw a different figure, almost mistaking them for the same person.
The figure only had longer hair, and was even shorter.
Most likely female.
This has gotten much more interesting, and perhaps more dangerous.
I didn't sense anything from the girl, perhaps still just a mundane. Good, if worse came to worst, I wouldn't need to fight a second capable opponent.
There was nothing else for another several hours.
By then, the crowd had thinned.
It would be suspicious if I remained. I stood up slowly, my bones creaking like I was just a skeleton.
I stretched widely, nearly socking a person in the jaw.
I quickly apologized, a sheepish smile on my face.
Then I walked off, the smile twisting into a scowl.
I really wanted to punch that guy. No idea why, it just felt like the right thing to do.
Perhaps he was some politician or something.
The next day, I sat in the same spot once again. Lollipop in my mouth.
I had bought a whole bag of them, a hundred or so yesterday.
And I was lucky to do so, since the card was now frozen.
I snorted silently, they were sure awfully slow to do that. I would have been able to buy a whole house and do the paperwork in that time.
Not that the card even had that much money.
It was still early in the month after all, no one had gotten paychecks.
I sighed wistfully, this was nice. Just sitting around, thinking about entirely useless subjects.
I didn't need to worry about a blade at my neck every second. At least not yet.
Several hours later, the figure left. It was already getting dark outside, curious.
I stood up, walked into an alleyway, and summoned the [Vamparic dagger].
Blood sense expanded slowly; I couldn't afford to be sensed, so I used the minimal amount of essence.
And sure enough, the house was empty. A small smile graced my lips, a perfect opportunity to snoop around.
The next moment I was in the house, my footsteps silent, breath even.
I checked every corner for cameras, but there was nothing.
I checked the first floor, and as expected, no pod was on it.
I crossed my fingers, then warped directly below me.
Luckily, I didn't end up inside a wall, that would have been bad.
And just in front of me, I saw a pod.
It was one of the newer versions, I believe. Its edges were curved, the metal was still shiny, undoubtedly new, and barely used.
My eyes twinked.
"Jackpot."
I approached it slowly, making sure there were no alarms.
And after making sure it wasn't connected to anything, I touched it with my palm.
Then there was a blade at my throat.
I stopped dead, eyes wide and filled with shock.
How hadn't eye sensed the figure?
"Remove your hand, take two steps backwards. Slowly."
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